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How to Introduce Measuring Length to Fourth Graders

Learning to measure length is a basic skill in geometry that fourth-grade students should just be ready to learn. As with all concepts involving shape, you can teach it to your students with a combination of instruction and hands-on practice. Let your students know that they will need to know both what length is on a conceptual level, and be able to put into practice in the real world. Find the method that works best for getting the most out of your fourth-graders' measuring skills.

Things You'll Need

  • Rulers or measuring tapes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Ask your students to define length, height and width. Then explain the differences of each measurement to them. Ask students for examples of objects or structures that have length.

    • 2

      Give your students rulers or measuring tapes and let them loose on the classroom. Ask them to measure as many lengths as they can and record them on a sheet of paper. Reassemble the students and have them share what they have found. Make sure to have them justify why a measurement is a length and not a height or width.

    • 3

      Give students verbal problems to have them practice measuring length on a conceptual level. Create a scenario in which someone has to find out how long the side of his house is so he can paint it. Draw a picture of the wall and break it into even sections. Give the length of one small section and have students figure out the total length.

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