Grade: 4
*This is a mini introductory unit about the metric system that I taught over a week span to fourth grade students during my student teaching internship.
Start by introducing and discussing the prefix milli-, centi-, deci-, and kilo-. For each of the activities below, keep figuring the conversions of how many of each unit is in another unit.
Second, introduce the meter and units of the meter. Give the students a toothpick, small ring, short straw, ribbon, and meter measuring device. Have the students measure the items, finding the item that is closest to a millimeter (width of end of toothpick), centimeter (width of ring), decimeter (length of straw), and meter (ribbon).
Third, introduce the gram and units of the gram. Pass around the jar of beans (kilogram) and the paper clip (gram) let the students feel the difference in weight.
Lastly, introduce the liter and units of the liter. Put a drop of water next to the liter water bottle so that students can visually compare the liter to milliliter.
As a challenge, discuss cubic measurements in the metric system. Give the students base ten blocks, and let them measure the cubic area of the units piece (it’s one cubic centimeter). Then let them measure and experiment with finding out how many cubic centimeters is in a cubic decimeter (the thousand cube).
