5TH GRADE
MEASUREMENT AND DATA
ACTIVITIES ALIGNED WITH
COMMON CORE STANDARDS

5TH GRADE MEASUREMENT AND DATA

This page provides samples of 5th grade measurement and data activities suitable for use in math centers, small group, or whole class settings. All activities are designed to elicit a range of responses and provide opportunities for students to communicate their reasoning and mathematical thinking. Download the sample activities under each standard or purchase the 5th Grade Math Centers eBook and have all the Number, Geometry, Measurement and Data Centers you’ll need for the entire school year in one convenient digital file.

Convert like measurement units within a given measurement system

5.MD.A.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5cm to 0.05m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.
Sample Activity:
Comparing Metric Units
Also included in 5th Grade Math Centers:
Word Problems: Metric Conversion
Word Problems: Customary Units Conversion
Metric Relationships

Represent and interpret data

5.MD.B.2 Make a line plot to display a set of measurements in fractions of a unit (1/2, ¼, 1/8). Use operations on fractions for this grade to solve problems involving information presented in line plots. For example, given different measurements of liquid in identical beakers, find the amount of liquid each beaker would contain if the total amount in all the beakers were redistributed equally.
Sample Activity:
Measuring Classroom Objects (v. 1)
Also included in 5th Grade Math Centers:
Measuring Classroom Objects (v. 2)
Measuring Liquid
Line Plot Task Cards (A - H)

Geometric measurement: understand concepts of volume and relate volume to multiplication and to addition

5.MD.C.3 Recognize volume as an attribute of solid figures and understand concepts of volume measurement.
a. A cube with side length 1 unit, called a “unit cube,” is said to have “one cubic unit” of volume, and can be used to measure volume.
b. A solid figure which can be packed without gaps or overlaps using n unit cubes is said to have a volume of n cubic units.
Sample Activity:
Build a Cubic Meter

5.MD.C.4 Measure volume by counting unit cubes, using cubic cm, cubic in, cubic ft, and improvised units.
Sample Activities:
Building Rectangular Prisms
What's the Volume?
Also included in 5th Grade Math Centers:
3-Dimensional Structures
Ordering Rectangular Prisms
One Cube

5.MD.C.5 Relate volume to the operations of multiplication and addition and solve real world and mathematical problems involving volume.
a. Find the volume of a right rectangular prism with whole-number side lengths by packing it with unit cubes, and show that the volume is the same as would be found by multiplying the edge lengths, equivalently by multiplying the height by the area of the base. Represent threefold whole-number products as volumes, e.g., to represent the associative property of multiplication.
Sample Activity:
Exploring Volume
Also included in 5th Grade Math Centers:
Four Open Boxes

b. Apply the formulas V= l x w x h and V = b x h for rectangular prisms to find volumes of right rectangular prisms with whole-number edge lengths in the context of solving real world and mathematical problems.
Sample Activities:
Designing a Toy Box
Roll a Rectangular Prism
Also included in 5th Grade Math Centers:
Create a 3-D Sculpture
Designing a Cereal Box
Measuring Volume
Volume Word Problems

c. Recognize volume as additive. Find volumes of solid figures composed of two non-overlapping right rectangular prisms by adding the volumes of the non-overlapping parts, applying this technique to solve real world problems.
Sample Activity:
Find the Volume
Also included in 5th Grade Math Centers:
Comparing Buildings
Joe's Buildings