Customary measurement poster (free printable equivalents)
Eight facts to look up while measuring, from inches and feet to cups and gallons, and the minutes in an hour. Edit any line, then post it where the class measures.
To save a PDF, choose Print, then “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints.
About this sheet
Customary units are hard to remember because the numbers do not follow one pattern: twelve, three, five thousand two hundred eighty, sixteen, two, two, four. A chart cannot replace handling the tools, but it takes the memory load off a child who is busy thinking about the measuring itself. This poster sets each unit on the left and what it equals on the right, in plain type that reads from a few steps away. The eight defaults cover length, weight, liquid volume and one time fact, which is enough for most second to sixth grade tasks. Every line is editable, so you can drop the mile for a younger class or add the ton and the yard-to-inch fact for an older one.
Grades: 2 to 6.
How to use it
- Read the eight default rows, then change any row you do not need. Keep the bar between the unit and what it equals.
- Print on letter or A4, in color or black and white, and mount it beside the rulers, scales and measuring jugs.
- Send children to measure something real, then ask them to find the fact on the poster that lets them say it a second way.
Five ideas for class
- Fill a quart jug and a gallon jug with water at a sink, and let children pour the quarts across to count four for themselves.
- Ask partners to measure a desk in inches, then use the chart to say the same length in feet, and decide which answer is handier.
- Play a guess game: how many cups fill a pint jar? Children answer, then pour and compare with the chart.
- Give a recipe that calls for two pints and ask for the amount in cups, so the poster becomes a tool for cooking and not only a wall item.
- Ask children to convert both ways, from big to small and small to big, and explain why the number gets bigger when the unit gets smaller.
Related
Questions
Why teach measuring before the chart?
Children who have held a foot ruler and poured a quart remember the sizes. The chart then confirms what their hands already know, instead of being a list to memorize.
Can I add the ton or the fluid ounce?
Yes. Every row is a line of text, so add rows up to the limit, or swap one for a fact your curriculum uses, such as eight fluid ounces in a cup.
Does it work for a homeschool kitchen?
It does. Print it small, tape it inside a cupboard door, and the cooking and baking become measurement practice with a real reason to convert.
How do I save it as a PDF?
Choose Print, then pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints: the page around it is hidden. You can also save a sheet as a PNG image under the preview.
Can I print it in black and white?
Yes. Switch to Black and white beside the sheet: fills turn white and lines turn black, so it saves ink and photocopies cleanly.
Is what I type saved or sent anywhere?
Your edits are kept in this browser so they are there next time, and are never sent to us. No sign-in, no ads.
More from math printables
Nothing you do here is sent to us. Names and wording stay in this browser. Free for classroom use. No sign-in, no ads.