1.MD.A: Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units.
![](http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzNjIyNzcwMjMwNDMmcHQ9MTM2MjI3NzAyNDQ5NiZwPTk3NTA3MiZkPTAwMCUyMC*lMjBWb2tpJTIwV2lkZ2V*Jmc9/MSZvPWJkNDMxNzc4ZDEyYzQ4ZDg5ZWZhYjNmOWE5NDMwZjE4Jm9mPTA=.gif)
First grade students need to be able to measure objects. One way to do this is to put objects in order by length. For example, a pencil is definitely longer than an eraser... and a ruler is longer than both of those! You would make the order: eraser, pencil, ruler. First graders also need to be able to measure one item with another item, like hands or feet. I measured the door with my hands by laying them next to one another, without overlapping. My door is 20 hands high. Try it! Use your hand to measure your table. How many hands long was it? Click on the links below to practice your measuring skills.
For Students!
Reading a ruler can be pretty confusing! Check the chart above to remind yourself how to read the ruler. Try it! Find your ruler at home. Measure a few different items using this strategy. What's the longest item you found? The shortest?
Click here to play a fun measurement game! Help Murray measure each object with different items! This helps you practice your measurement strategies using different objects.
For Teachers!
Click here to access an activity to teach how to measure an object using pattern blocks. There are great printables, which will allow this to be an excellent math center, once taught to your students!