Measurement Activity: TEKS: Measurement.

Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

Measurement

Activity: Skeletons in the Closet

TEKS: (4.11) Measurement. The student applies measurement concepts. The
student is expected to estimate and measure to solve problems involving
length (including perimeter) and area. The student uses measurement
tools to measure capacity/volume and weight/mass.

The student is expected to:

(A) estimate and use measurement tools to determine length
(including perimeter), area, capacity and weight/mass using
standard units SI (metric) and customary;

(C) use concrete models of standard cubic units to measure
volume;

(D) estimate volume in cubic units;

Note: Portions of this lesson address TEKS at other grade levels as well;
however, the intent of the lesson fits most appropriately at the grade level
indicated.

Overview: In this activity, students will reinforce their knowledge about the attributes
of models for the following standard units: cubic centimeter, cubic meter,
cubic inch, cubic foot, and cubic yard. Concrete models for standard units
will be constructed in order to help students visualize how much space the
standard units would each occupy. In addition, selecting an appropriate
unit for measuring the volume of various objects will be addressed.

Materials: Skeletons in the Closet Recording Sheet
Centimeter cubes (1 per student)
1-centimeter grid paper, 1 sheet per student
1-inch grid paper on cardstock, 1 sheet per student
Markers
Scissors
Tape
Rulers with inch and centimeter markings
Corrugated cardboard cut into 12 inch by 12 inch squares, 2 squares per

group
Modeling clay, Play-Doh, or adhesive putty (Handi-tak)
¼ -inch (or other small diameter) dowel rods precut into 1 foot lengths, 4

per group
One-inch 90-degree elbow (PVC pipe) with one-inch inlet, 16 total for the

large group
Meter stick, 1 per group – You will also need 12 meter sticks total for the

large group. If you have fewer than 12 groups, have some extra
metersticks on hand.
Yardstick, 1 per group – You will also need 12 yardsticks total for the large

Measurement Grade 4
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Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

group. If you have fewer than 12 groups, have some extra yardsticks
on hand.

Grouping: Groups of 4 students

Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Lesson: Notes
Procedures Even though students are working
in small groups, it is beneficial for
1. Have each student select a centimeter cube. each student to have his or her
own centimeter cube and
Ask: What attributes of the centimeter cube centimeter ruler to use during this
can be measured with the centimeter ruler? activity.
length, width, and/or height

2. Have each student measure the length and
the width of one face of the centimeter cube
using the centimeter ruler.

Ask: What did you find for the measures of
the length and width of one face? The length
and width of one face are each 1 centimeter
in length.

3. Have students use their centimeter rulers to Be cautious when copying graph
measure the length and width of one small paper on the copy machine. The
square on a sheet of centimeter grid paper. copier can distort the size of the
(See Materials List for link to centimeter grid grid.
paper.)
Printing grid paper directly from
Ask: What did you find for the measures of the websites referenced in the
the length and width of one small square on Materials List works well;
the grid paper? The length and width of one however, be sure to turn the
small square on the grid paper are each 1 “scale to fit page” feature off
centimeter in length. before printing.

Remind students that one small square on
the grid paper represents 1 square
centimeter since the length and width each
measure 1 centimeter in length.

4. Ask: How many squares on the grid paper
would it take to cover one face of the
centimeter cube? It would take one square
of the grid paper or 1 square centimeter.

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Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

Procedures Notes

Ask: What attribute of the centimeter cube
are we measuring when we say that it would
take one square centimeter to cover one
face of the centimeter cube? area of one
face

5. Volume is typically measured in cubic units.
Since this centimeter cube is already in the
shape of a cube, what can we can say about
its volume? Its volume is 1 cubic centimeter.

6. Have each group record a list of attributes
and their measures for the centimeter cube
on the Skeletons in the Closet Recording
Sheet.

Although lists may vary, some important
attributes of the centimeter cube necessary
for our discussion of volume in the remainder
of this lesson are listed below:

• 12 edges that measure 1 centimeter
in length

• 6 faces that measure 1 square
centimeter in area; each face is a
square with a length and width of 1
centimeter in length

• 1 cube that measures 1 cubic
centimeter in volume

7. Tell students that they have just described a
model for the standard unit of a cubic
centimeter.

8. In this lesson, we will build models for other For each of the subsequent

standard cubic units so that we might models built during this lesson, we

develop a feel for how much space would be will follow the same basic

occupied by each. procedure: predict, build, verify,

record.

What attributes do you think a cubic inch

would have?

• 12 edges that measure 1 inch in

length

• 6 faces that measure 1 square inch in

area; each face is a square with a

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Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

Procedures Notes
length and width of 1 inch in length
• 1 cube that measures 1 cubic inch in
volume

9. Give each student a sheet of 1-inch grid Remember to turn the scaling

paper on cardstock. (See Materials List for feature off if you print grid paper

link to inch grid paper.) Guide them to shade directly from the website given in

6 square inches in an arrangement that can the Materials List.

be folded to make a cube (a net for a cube)

such as the following: You might choose to let students

find their own nets for a cube.

Another challenge is to have

students find all possible nets for a

cube.

Have each student cut out the net, then fold
into a cube and tape closed.

Have students verify that the attributes they
predicted are indeed true for the inch-cube,
then record these attributes on the Skeletons
in the Closet Recording Sheet.

10. So, now we have a model for a cubic Metric units are sometimes called
centimeter (metric system) and for a cubic SI units. SI stands for System
inch (customary). Internationale.

11. Let’s name some objects for which the cubic Responses will vary, but the
centimeter would be an appropriate choice objects should be fairly small.
for measuring volume….

Now let’s name some objects for which the
cubic inch would be an appropriate choice
for measuring volume.

12. What if I need to measure the volume of this
room? Would cubic centimeters be
appropriate? What about cubic inches?
No. Even though the volume of the room
could be measured in cubic centimeters or in
cubic inches, those cubic units are very small
when compared to the volume of the room.
We need a larger cubic unit.

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Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

Procedures Notes
13. Let’s develop a model for a cubic foot.

Ask: What attributes do you think will be
present on a cubic foot?

• 12 edges that measure 1 foot in
length

• 6 faces that measure 1 square foot in
area; each face is a square with a
length and width of 1 foot each

• 1 cube with a volume of 1 cubic foot

14. Have each group build a model for a cubic
foot.

Give each group two pre-cut squares of A print-shop can cut squares to
corrugated cardboard that are 12 inches by these dimensions very quickly and
12 inches. Using a ruler, have each group easily.
verify that the squares have an area of 1
square foot.

Place a small piece of modeling clay, Play- By constructing the cubic foot in
Doh, or adhesive putty (the kind used to this manner, the model is easy to
hang posters on the wall) in each corner of disassemble for storage.
one of the squares. Then take 4 dowel rods
(precut to 1 foot each in length) and stand Instead of building the cubic foot
one dowel rod up in each corner of the in this manner, you might consider
square. Next, place a small piece of using a manufactured box for this
modeling clay, Play-Doh, or adhesive putty model. Office Depot sells a
on top of each dowel rod, then lay the other cardboard box which measures
square on the top of the cube. The dowel 12” by 12” by 12” for moving which
rods form the vertical edges of the cube. could be used as a model. It will
store flat for convenience.

15. So, now we have a skeleton model for a
cubic foot. Our model is see-through, but a
solid cube this size or a box this size would
have the same volume – 1 cubic foot.

16. Have students verify that the attributes that
they listed for a cubic foot are true, then
remind them to record these attributes on the
Skeletons in the Closet Recording Sheet.

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Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

Procedures Notes
17. Have the groups stack their cubic foot

models close together to give the students a
visual reference for spaces that measure
more than 1 cubic foot in volume.

18. Let’s name some objects for which the cubic
foot would be an appropriate unit for
measuring volume.

19. Now let’s consider a cubic yard.

What attributes do you think will be present
on a cubic yard?

• 12 edges that measure 1 yard in
length

• 6 faces that measure 1 square yard in
area; each face is a square with a
length and width of 1 yard

• 1 cube with a volume of 1 cubic yard

What about a cubic meter? What attributes
do you think will be present on a cubic
meter?

• 12 edges that measure 1 meter in
length

• 6 faces that measure 1 square meter
in area; each face is a square with a
length and width of 1 meter

• 1 cube with a volume of 1 cubic meter

20. As a large group, build a model for a cubic You may choose to have the
yard and for the cubic meter. volunteers remain with the model
to hold it steady.
Ask for three or four volunteers to help build
the next two models for the large group to You might also place a ball of
see. modeling clay or Play-Doh into the
PVC pipe to help hold the edges
Use the PVC elbows with the 1-inch inlet as in place. By using the modeling
the vertices for the cubic unit. Place the clay or Play-Doh, the students
yardsticks into the PVC with the yardsticks who help build the model could
serving as edges. then step away (at least one at
time, depending on how sturdy the
Ask students to verify that the attributes model seems to be) to see the full
listed above for the cubic yard are correct. effect.

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Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

Procedures Notes
Next, use the meter sticks to build a cubic Models to build the cubic meter
meter in the same manner. are available commercially if you
wish to use those.
Ask students to verify that the attributes
listed above for the cubic meter are correct. These models will disassemble
easily for storage (hence the
Since these units are larger, building one name…Skeletons in the Closet)
cubic yard and one cubic meter per the so that the teacher can bring them
entire large group will be sufficient. out when needed.

Remember, our models are skeleton models Building the cubic meter and the
so that we can disassemble them and store cubic yard side by side is a very
them easily. A solid cube or a box with these powerful visualization. You may
dimensions would take up the same amount also be able to build the cubic
of space that our skeleton models occupy. yard inside of the cubic meter to
help students get a better feel for
how much larger the cubic meter
is compared to the cubic yard.

21. Let’s name some objects for which the cubic
yard would be an appropriate unit for
measuring volume.

What about the cubic meter? Let’s name
some objects for which the cubic meter
would be an appropriate unit for measuring
volume.

22. Summarize the lesson by reminding students
that these units are some of the standard
units for measuring volume:

Cubic centimeter and cubic meter in the
metric system;
Cubic inch, cubic foot, and cubic yard in the
customary system

23. Leave some of the models on display in the
classroom so that students can refer to them
as needed.

Assessment: Identify a real-world object with the attribute of volume. Ask the
students to identify an appropriate standard unit with which to measure
the object’s volume.

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Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

Extensions: Given a specific volume in either cubic centimeters or cubic inches
(because the models for these units are less cumbersome), ask
students to find all of the possible rectangular prisms with that volume.
Students can build the prisms with centimeter cubes or with 1-inch
blocks, recording the dimensions for the length, width, and height of
each prism.

Another extension is to ask students to identify relationships between
units. For example, how many cubic inches are in 1 cubic foot? How
many cubic feet are in 1 cubic yard? How many cubic centimeters are
in 1 cubic meter? Students can use the models they have built to help
them see the connections. For example, students can bring their
cubic foot models to the front of the room to compare to the cubic yard
model. Stacking three cubic feet for the length, width, and height of
the cubic yard can help students see a visual for the conversion that
there are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard. This extension would
address the 5th grade TEKS Student Expectation listed in 5.10 (A). It
reads as follows: The student is expected to perform simple
conversions within the same measurement system (SI (metric) or
customary).

Another extension would be to investigate how much more volume the
cubic meter contains compared to the cubic yard.

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Mathematics TEKS Refinement 2006 – K-5 Tarleton State University

Skeletons in the Closet
Recording Sheet

Attributes of the Cubic Centimeter Attributes of the Cubic Meter

Attributes of the Cubic Inch Attributes of the Cubic Foot

Attributes of the Cubic Yard

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