Introduction to Metric Conversions

This is a sixty - five slide lesson for 5th grade math student's introduction to converting within metric measurements.

One of the first slides will show examples of the units for length, capacity, and mass. The staircase type chart for converting between metic measurements is shown with metric pre-fixes. The staircase uses a mnemonic sentence. I suggest you make a copy for students to have during the lesson.

The metric prefixes are modeled with base ten blocks and then modeled with a number line. A flow chart type model is then used to show how to convert between metric units and when to multiply and when to divide. There are many examples for you to show students as well as several problems for them to do on their own. These models are then compared to the staircase and the slides talk about moving up and down the staircase which moves the decimal in the number.

Finally more problems for students to complete using any of the devices shown in the lesson. This lesson covers the Common Core Standard 5.MD.A.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.