Illustrative Mathematics
Growing Bean Plants (Grade 2)
After planting a bean seed in a jar, young scientists observe the growth patterns over several days. As the bean becomes a sprout, and the sprout becomes a plant, partners measure and plot the data. They notice patterns, practice...
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Growing Up With A Mission
New Horizons began its journey to Pluto in 2006. Ten years later, it continues its mission. In that time, scholars have surely grown, but how much more will they grow by the time New Horizons reaches its destination? Find out with an...
Curated OER
Investigating The Mysteries Of Third Grade
Third graders use logic and knowledge of mathematics facts to solve problems. They see that pigments can be broken down into separate colors. Pupils recognize the capacity of water to move upward and measure the height water travels up...
National Geographic
Measuring Elevation Past and Present
After viewing a short video about a climb up Mount Everest, high schoolers read about triangulation for measuring distant elevations. Have your class work in groups to construct an inclinometer and then use it to measure the height of...
California Academy of Science
How Big is Big?
In a math or life science class, "mini-me" models are created with cardstock to reflect a 1:10 scale of young scholars' bodies. Learners measure each others' heights with meter sticks, and then reduce the size by 10. After this exercise,...
Teach Engineering
Fun with Air-Powered Pneumatics
How high did the ball go? Engineering teams build a working pneumatic system that launches a ball into the air. The teams vary the amount of pressure and determine the accompanying height of the ball. An extension of building a device to...
Curated OER
5th Grade Science
In this science worksheet, 5th graders complete multiple choice questions about flight, astronomers, measurement, temperature, and more. Students complete 25 questions.
Curated OER
Kites
Students practice estimating and comparing measurements using yards, feet, and inches. They make comparisons about kites and a variety of measurements. Afterwards, they complete an activity sheet and draw a bird kite with long wings and...
Curated OER
Inch By Inch
Students explore the concept of measuring length using a one-inch pipe cleaner "inchworm." They listen to the story "Inch By Inch by Leo Lionni and discuss how the animals were measured by the inchworm in the book. In pairs students...
American Chemical Society
Production of a Gas - Controlling a Chemical Reaction
Though the publisher designated this unit for use with third through eighth grades, this particular lesson would be best used with middle schoolers due to the specific measurement skills required. Basically, they set up the reaction...
Curated OER
Measurement
Students explore measurement comparisons of taller and shorter. They examine a picture and order the picture's elements from shortest to tallest. Afterwards, they draw themselves and other items shorter or taller than welements in the...
Curated OER
Filling the Glass (Water, Air, and Fractions)
Learners predict which of two glasses is 1/2 full using visual estimation, height measurement, and liquid measurement methods. Mathematical equations to accurately solve the problem are determined and verified.
National Wildlife Federation
What is DBH?
When measuring the circumference of a tree, does it matter how high you place the measuring tape? Most scholars have never considered this question, but scientists know that measurement techniques must be standardized. The 13th lesson in...
Curated OER
Naked Egg Drop
In this science project worksheet, students create a container that catches a raw egg and prevents it from breaking. They measure that the container is under 19.5 inches in width and length. Students also calculate their scores from the...
Curated OER
Emotional Speed with Balls and Ramps
Fifth graders investigate the relationship between mass and speed. In this physics lesson plan, 5th graders experiment with motion by being given a ramp, two balls, and blocks or books for elevation. Students determine how different...
Curated OER
Measurement via Triangulation
Students utilize triangulation techniques to determine altitudes of objects. An altitude locator is constructed and used to determine the height of a building or a tree. Tangent tables and formulas provide the ratio for the formula to...
Curated OER
Basic Tree and Forest Measurements
Young scholars examine how trees are measured and the different methods used. In this density lesson students divide into groups and practice the different methods.
Curated OER
TIMS, The Bouncing Ball: Math, Science, Measurement, Graphs, Variables
Pupils determine the exact relationship between the height from which a ball is dropped and the distance that it rebounds.
Curated OER
Changing Ramp Heights
Learners conduct an experiment to determine how the change in ramp height affects the distances a ball is able to move a stationary cup. Data is collected from several trials and recorded and analyzed.
Curated OER
Sextant Measurements
Students create a sextant. Using their sextant, students measure the height of tall objects. Students explore how sailors used sextants to identify their location on the ocean. They research how sextants are created.
Curated OER
A Close Encounter of the Tree Kind
Young scholars study trees in their natural habitat. In this tree lesson plan, students complete a number of outdoor activities to estimate the height of a tree, examine how bark can be a distinguishing tree characteristic, and how to...
Curated OER
How Tall Are We?
Students in a Kindergarten class measure each other's height using large building blocks and then visit a 2nd and a 4th grade class to measure those students. They display the results in bar graphs, comparing the different age groups.
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
How is Flowing Water an Energy Source? Activity A
Here is a fun little exploration of the potential energy potential of falling water. Learners drop water from various heights using a straw, and they analyze the diameter of the splash. Pair this with two more activities of the same...
Curated OER
Balls and Ramp
Students role several balls of different weights down a ramp and into a paper cup and record how far each ball made the paper cup move. They then answer questions that help them analyze their results and reinforce the idea that energy...