Children with a grasp of length, width and circumference can put their measurement ability into practice by using their classmates as subjects. The student can measure parameters such as height, arm length, finger length or head circumference in order to get a grasp of what inches or feet actually mean in real terms. In case some students are sensitive about their size, avoid telling students to measure waist or hips as part of the activity.
The concept of measuring heat and warmth can be illustrated by using a forehead thermometer to check the level of warmth of various items in the classroom. Students can first measure their own foreheads and tabulate the results. Then the students can measure warmer or colder objects such as a radiator or a can of cold soda, to see the difference in measurement. You can also organize students to take forehead measurements before and after vigorous exercise during recess on the playground to identify any heat increases through exercise.
Students with a grasp on multiplication and division may enjoy an activity that forces them to think in units of length in order to cover a certain distance. You can lay down a strip of masking tape along a floor that is a certain length, and instruct the children to use a specific unit, such as the length of one person's foot, to divide it by. Students then must measure both the foot and the tape and calculate how many foot lengths it would take to cover the length of the tape. Alternatives to this measurement game include using stride length as the unit of measurement or even how many revolutions of a particular wheel (using the circumference as a unit of measurement and marking a beginning and end point on the wheel) will cover the length of tape.
You can help students figure out in their heads the concept of area by using a rectangle of paper of a certain area and small items of regular size such as square candies or markers (to use with complex concepts such as diameter). The student must measure the piece of paper and calculate the area. The student must also measure the smaller items, and can then figure out how many smaller items can fit onto the area of the paper.