Moving
Around in the Metric World
Lesson
2
Grade
Level:
Subjects:
-
Science,
Math, and Language Arts
Learner
Outcomes:
-
Student
will gain an understanding of the metric prefixes and be able to convert
from one metric unit to another.
Duration
of Lesson:
Materials:
-
pencil,
paper, card stock
Technology
Tools/Courseware:
-
Word
processor, desktop publishing program Converter
Teacher
Notes:
-
In
order to be successful with the metric system, students must be able to
visualize the prefixes with their place values. The intent of this
lesson is to provide a number of ways for students to make this connection.
Power
Point
Procedures:
-
Provide
a model for students by writing the prefixes on the board in the order
of their values.
Kilo
Hecto Deka Units (Decimal
Point) deci centi milli
-
In
small groups or individually, have students create a mnemonic device for
remembering the prefixes in their correct order. They are to use
the first letter of each prefix to make a word in order to form a sentence.
Sometimes the sillier the better. Don't forget the Units place and
the decimal.
-
Example:
Kids
Have
Dirty
Underwear,
Please
dad
call
mom.
-
Have
each group share their mnemonic device with the others.
-
Once
students have a grasp for the correct order of the prefixes, allow them
to use the mnemonic device to write the letters on their papers.
K H D U * d c m. This becomes their learning aid (cheat sheet).
-
To
convert from one metric unit to another, have student remember this phrase.
“Know where you are, know where you what to go.”
-
Therefore,
if you want to convert 25 cm to millimeters, 25 cm = ?? mm.
Using this example, you must know where you are, “centi”,
and you want to go to, “milli”.
To do this, I must move one place to the right. The decimal which
is understood to be to the right of the 5 in 25 is moved one place to the
right by adding a zero, and replacing the “c”
with the new prefix “m”:
-
25
cm = 250 mm.
K H D U
d c m
-
Convert
25 cm to meters.
K H D U
d c m.
-
25
cm = .25M
-
This
requires two moves to the left, therefore the decimal is moved two places
to the left and the prefix “c” is replaced with the unit symbol “M” for
meter
-
Provide
examples for the students to practice.
-
In
most cases, Hecto and Deka are rarely used unless you are dealing with
square area; therefore the terms are expressed as the number of units.
For example, the 100 meter dash is not referred to as the Hectometer dash.
Modifications:
-
Have
students make individual cards, (2x2), with the prefixes printed on them.
Have them arrange these cards in order from largest to smallest. Don't
forget the decimal point. Make a second set of cards with the numerical
equivalents, and match these with the prefixes.
Enrichment
Activities:
-
Have
students research common sayings that use the vocabulary of English measurements,
and change these to metric terms. “Give them and inch and, they take
a mile” becomes: “Give them a centimeters and they take a kilometer.”
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” etc. Students can
type these on a word processor or desktop publishing program as posters
to be placed around the room.
-
Student
created Power Point presentation of these examples.
-
For
students who have a good understanding of the material, have them research
the development of the metric system as well as other metric prefixes.
This can be presented as a written or oral presentation. Metric
History
-
Have
a class debate on the pros and cons of the US converting to the metric
system.
-
Have
students use metric Prefixes in Haiku poetry. Create a collection
of their work and make a class publication using a word processing program,
or presentation software Haiku
Evaluation/Assessment:
West
Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives
9.8 9.9 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.20 9.96 9.103 9.104 9.106
10.9 10.11 10.84 10.91 10.94 10.95 10.97
9.34 9.35 9.51 9.53 9.54
M 1.11
National
Standards:
Understands and applies basic and advanced properties of the concepts of
measurement.
Language: Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes.
Gather and uses information for research purposes.
Understands the nature of scientific inquiry.
References:
W.V.D.E. Metric Means Measure, Implementation Guide; compiled by Richard
E. Wilkes
and James
R. Myers, Fourth
printing 1977
Dale Faughn (Kentucky Poet Laureate)
Co-Director, Pilot Writing Project
Caldwell County High School
Rt. 1, Box 137B
Princeton, Kentucky 42445
Mail
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