Exploring Customary and Metric Systems

Designed by: David K. Blackwell     School: Gibbes Middle School

Grade Level: 6      Subject(s): Math

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What is the system of measurement used by almost all countries in the world?
What is the system of measurement used by the scientific community?
What system of measurement do most U.S. citizens use?
What is the metric measurement for length? What is the customary measurement for length?
Why do some people say we should use the metric measurements over the customary measurements?
Where do you use metric measurements?

Time Frame: One 50-minute class period (If this is an introductory lesson, you might use the step method or method found in textbook.) If you are going to use websites, you might need to have more than one computer and/or computer lab.

Resources/Materials:
Textbook - Mathematics: Applications and Connections, Course 1 by Glencoe

Websites for converting from metric to customary (English) units of measurements:
http://www.eldar.org/~ben/convert/mc_fi.html 

http://www.mplik.ru/~sg/transl/ 

http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/conversions.html 

http://www.image-ination.com/test_maker/convert.html 

http://www.coolnerds.com/jscript/alanconv.htm 

http://www.aaamath.com/mea.html 

APPENDECES A, B, C
Paper and pencils

Culminating Assessment: 
The students will explore the metric and customary system of measurements. They will utilize various methods of converting metric measurements to smaller or larger units of metric measurement. The students will also convert from metric to customary and from customary to metric units of measurement.

Instructional Activities:

Activity 1 (Day One and Day Two):

The teacher should demonstrate each of the following with their students.

1. Review strategies for converting units within the metric system using either the method found in the textbook, Mathematics: Applications and Connections, Course 1 by Glencoe, beginning on page 127 of the book or the Step Method found in Appendix A.

2. Review converting from either metric to customary or customary to metric units of measurements by using one or more of the sites found in a list in the Resources/Materials section. Students may practice these if computers are available. Students can use activity found in Appendix B to show that they have practiced the conversion activities.
   
   

Activity 2 (Day Three):

The student will complete the following scenario using one or more of the strategies from Day One and Day Two.

Mr. Walters has decided to build a new deck. Unfortunately, the deck kit came with metric measurements, but he only knows customary measurements and only tools that use customary measurements. Help him solve his problem by converting the metric measurements into customary measurements.

Complete the information sheet found in Appendix C.

Appendix A

A simple way to remember where to move the decimal place when converting metric units is to use the step method shown above. 

EXAMPLE 1

How many kilometers are in 5 centimeters?

You see that the decimal place is one step to the left of the prefix centi; that would make 5 centimeters. To convert this to kilometers, you will have to count the steps up to the prefix kilo-. 

You have counted five steps to the left from centi. Therefore the decimal would go five places to the left. Therefore the decimal has to move five places to the left. 
5 centimeters = .00005 kilometers

Example 2

Likewise, if you have 5 kilometers and want them converted to centimeters you would count downwards five steps to the right. 

Therefore, 5 kilometers is equal to to 500,000 centimeters.

Remember you are multiplying when you go from a larger to smaller unit and dividing when you go from a smaller to a larger unit.

Convert the following using one of the websites listed under Resources/Materials.

Appendix C

ACME DECK KIT # 0001ABC

Welcome to the world of ACME Building. We hope you have your tools and all the parts to build your deck. Wait, Mr. Walters does not know how to use the metric system! Help him convert from metric to customary measurements.