Intro to Metric System
Lesson Plan Description
For the fifth grade math student to understand how to convert metric units of length. Students will know the names and prefixes for the metric units of capacity and will be able to convert measurement from one metric unit of measurement to another. Students need to be familiar with place values, base 10 system, and multiplication and division by ten prior to lesson.
Primary Learning Objective(s):
For the fifth grade math student to understand how to convert metric units of length so that when given a worksheet of metric lengths, they will be able to correctly answer with at least 80% accuracy.
Students will know the names and prefixes for the metric units of capacity and will be able to convert measurement from one metric unit of measurement to another.
Additional Learning Objective(s):
Students will need to convert these mathematical concepts on the FCAT test. These concepts are prevalent in real-world situations internationally.
Introduce: A Moment of Silence for the Death of King Henry.
- Class discussion: Ask students if they have heard about King Henry's death. Tell students King Henry died on Monday. Tell students that King Henry died drinking chocolate milk. How many students drink chocolate milk? Show transparency that reads: King Henry Died Monday Drinking Chocolate Milk. I hope you will always remember King Henry because these are the prefixes of the Metric System. Show transparency that reads: Kilo Hecto Deka Meter Deci Centi Milli and compare to the first transparency.
Explore Measure the thickness of a paper clip to the nearest mm (1 mm)
Hold their hand up and measure the width of the little finger to the nearest cm (1 cm)
Visualize the paper clip thickness or width of their little finger when estimating small lengths
(Estimate 5 cm = length of key example on sample FCAT question)
(Little finger est. width of paper for FCAT question=20 centimeters, k, m, ml)
Explain that the metric system is based on a system of 10, Base 10, or Power of 10 (10 fingers) It's simple, to change to a larger or smaller unit, you simply multiply or divide by a multiple of 10. It's easy! Use the saying: From small to BIG, you multiply, from BIG to small, divide.
- When moving to the right of the units, the next unit is 1/10 as long. For every place you move to the right of the decimal point you divide by 10. When moving to the left, each unit is times 10. Every place you move left from the decimal point you multiply by 10 or add a zero.
- Display the transparency on the overhead projector and complete the letter, prefixes, multiplier, and value rows. Model how to move the decimal point over to simulate adding zeros or moving decimal.
- If you wanted to change from millimeters to meters, would you multiply or divide? Divide
- What would you do to change from kilometers to meters? (Multiply)
- What is the estimated width of a sheet of paper?
- A foot is about equal to how many centimeters? 1, 10, 30, 100
- Worksheet: 1.03 m = __ cm= 103 cm (1 m=100cm) 39 m = __ km=0.039 km (1 km=1,000 m). 88 km = __ m = 88,000 (1 km=1,000 m). 27 cm = __ m = 0.27 m (100 cm=1 m)
Review (Mark large K,H,D,M,D,C,M & using a large number 1, six 0s and large decimal point) Move decimal right one space to demonstrate how many decimeters are in a meter. The new number will be ten, since there are ten decimeters in one meter. Continue to move left or right and have the class explain which direction and how many steps either left or right the decimal will move.
Relate: Celebrate by proposing a chocolate milk toast to King Henry.
- Chocolate milk
- Overhead projector
- Metric ruler
- One inch paper clips
- Metric Man Place Value Cards
- Worksheet: 1.03 m = __ cm= 103 cm (1 m=100cm)39 m = __ km=0.039 km (1 km=1,000 m). 88 km = __ m = 88,000 (1 km=1,000 m). 27 cm = __ m = 0.27 m (100 cm=1 m)