Measuring and Converting Metric Units of Length

This 14 slide Math Activ Studio flipchart teaches students to measure lengths in metric units and change from one unit of metric length to another. The lesson is aligned with the Houghton Mifflin Math Series, 6.4 - 5th grade, although it can be used to teach concepts in grades 3-6. The lesson begins with the "Problem of the Day" in which students are given a multi-step word problem that can be solved with addition and subtraction - the teacher has flipchart manipulatives to demonstrate the problem and how to work it out. Next, the flipchart displays "quick review" concepts that will act as a warm-up, or assist teachers in obtaining prior knowledge needed for the lesson. Next, they are given a "lesson quiz" that may act as a pre-test for certain concepts needed in the lesson. Next, the objectives are displayed in what students will learn in the lesson. The lesson then goes over vocabulary terms needed to understand the content of the lesson, along with their definitions: decimeter (dm), centimeter (cm), and millimeter (mm). This page also has visuals to help students understand the terms. The lesson then moves to a visual to helping them understand the metric system: the Siberian Tiger along with his measurements are presented, along with a conversion chart - and students are invited to convert the tiger's measurements to centimeters. The students are then shown a metric ruler and how decimeters, millimeters, and centimeters all size up against one another. Next is a chart created similarly to the one used in the math textbook, showing students how kilometers, hectometers, dekameters, meters, decimeters, centimeters, and millimeters, how they compare, and how to convert one unit of length to another. This page also has guided problems, and a higher order thinking prompt, incorporating percentages. The next page is a guided practice activity in which students are invited to come up to the board and use the flipchart ruler to measure the line segments to the nearest dm, cm, and mm. The next activity can be done whole group, in small groups, pairs or individually. Students are asked measurement conversion and comparison questions, along with a higher order thinking prompt about the metric system. The lesson then has a matching activity in which they are given some pictures and they are asked to match the picture to the metric unit of length that is reasonable. The flipchart then incorporates website measurement metric games - just click the link and the students can play the games as a class on the board. The next page allows for review and closure in which students are to list three things they learned in the lesson. Last, is a journal prompt students can complete, aligned with an activity in the textbook.