The Ruler Game is a timed activity appropriate for elementary school students, or those who are just learning to read ruler measurements. The teacher can personalize the game according to the student's learning level. For example, the teacher can choose to quiz the class with whole measurements or measurements by half, quarter, eighth, or sixteenth. The game displays a ruler, and then flashes a measurement on the screen, such as 3 5/8. The student must touch the appropriate line on the ruler. If the answer is incorrect, the student gets one strike. After three strikes, the game is over. Measurements become more challenging as the game continues.
The Magic Ruler is a virtual manipulative that even the youngest students will enjoy. Students can click, drag and flipped the ruler on the screen, measuring anything it touches. Students can measure several words and pictures on the home screen as practice before beginning the simple quiz. As they click through the pages of The Magic Ruler website, students will be asked to measure pencils, the distance between two points, as well as the lengths and diameters of several shapes.
The E-Math website contains a host of geometry measurement tools, including a ruler, a protractor and a compass. Teachers can personalize the site based on the student's learning level. If you click on the ruler tool, a short ruler will appear at the bottom of the screen. You can then choose "pen" or "pencil" and draw shapes, lines or anything you may want to measure. This game is ideal for students to use on their own, since they can explore the ruler and measurements at their own pace. Teachers can also create a game, asking students to draw a certain length shape on the Smartboard.
This Smartboard game from the U.K. is ideal for teaching students metric measurement. It contains a multiple-choice activity that asks students to help a cartoon child, Molly, choose the correct size box to put on a boat. For example, the screen will show three different size boxes, and then flash two measurements, such as .02 grams and .6 meters. Students must choose which box matches those measurements and place it on the scale to check. This game is ideal for older students who are learning the metric system, and can help students understand measurements of length and weight.