Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 73267
Where on Earth is (teacher name)?!
Students practice converting metric and customary measurements, while helping their teacher travel on summer vacation in Europe.
Subject(s): Mathematics
Grade Level(s): 5
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students,
Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Microsoft Office
Instructional Time: 2 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: measurement, conversion, metric, customary
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Mathematics General
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
1. The students will correctly convert different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system: metric km-m-cm; kg-g; lb-oz; l-ml; hr-minsec.
2. The students will apply this knowledge to solve multi-step, real-world problems, correctly getting the travelers and their luggage to the planned travel locations.
3. The students will multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm fluently and correctly, calculating travel costs, mileage, and other components of
the trip.
4. Students will see the pattern of, and utilize factors of, ten in converting metric measurements.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Prior to this lesson:
Students should have been introduced to the two measurement systems, US Customary and Metric
Students should know the different types of measurements - weight: pounds and ounces, and grams and kilograms; volume: ounces, and liters and milliliters;
length: kilometer, meter, and centimeter; time: hour, minute and seconds
Students should have previously been introduced to the concept of converting measurements within a given system (eg., 5 meters = 500 centimeters)
Students should have attained competency in the standard algorithm for multi-digit multiplication
Students must be previously trained in using the iPad app "ShowMe" to record and send videos
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
*These guiding questions are a formative assessment.*
What is measurement?
Why do we measure?
What types of things do we measure?
Do we measure all things the same way? Using the same type of measurements?
Can one thing/object/item be measured more than one way?
What are the two major systems of measurement called? What system of measurement do we use in the United States? What system of measurement does most
page 1 of 5 of the rest of the world and the scientific community use?
Let's review and discuss metric measurements. Who can name some metric measurements?
How about customary measurements? What are some customary measurements we use almost every day?
We also use, the world over, time measurements. What are the time measurements we use?
Sometimes we need to convert one measurement for another. Have you ever had to change hours to minutes to figure out how much time you had to complete
something? Or the other way around - minutes to hours? How many seconds in a minute? How many minutes in an hour? How many seconds in an hour? How did
you come up with that as your answer?
When we talk about converting within the metric system, what helps us quickly and easily convert measurements?
The meter is divided into what smaller measurement units? How many centimeters are in a meter? How about a kilometer?
If we are looking at a liter and a milliliter, how many milliliters are in a liter?
What about customary measurements? How many ounces are in pound? How do you know that?
How is customary measurement most different from metric measurement?
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
Where on Earth is (teacher name)?!
Formative Assessment - this may be done whole group, or with students in smaller groups to discuss among themselves prior to whole group discussion. The
Formative Assessment portion is designed to elicit information about the current level of student understanding of measurement and conversions thereof. Teachers
should use this formative assessment to determine areas that might require additional questioning, modeling and practicing; complete reteaching, or identification of
students who might require remediation or additional support. If data gathered indicate students do not know how to convert measurements, teacher should expand
lesson to model more examples and extend questioning during guided questions and guided practice.
*Model on the board, or chart paper, the units of measurement for the meter: 1m = 100 cm; 1Km = 1,000m. Remind students that the metric system is based on
base-ten place value, with the value of a number to the right being 1/10 the size, and the number to the left being 10 times the size. There are other measurements
along with meter, centimeter and kilometer (for example) in the metric system, but we are only focusing on some of the measurements in 5th grade. Continue to
model through other measurements.*
What is measurement? (determining the length, size or amount of something)
Why do we measure? (it gives us points of reference; allows us to compare things; everything has mass and takes up volume and space-measurement tells us how
much; etc.)
What types of things do we measure?
Do we measure all things the same way? Using the same type of measurement?
Can one thing/object/item be measured more than one way?
What are the two major systems of measurement are called? (metric and customary) What system of measurement do we use in the United States? (customary)
What system of measurement does most of the rest of the world and the scientific community use? (metric)
Let's review and discuss metric measurements. Who can name some metric measurements? (kilometer, meter, centimeter; liter, milliliter; kilogram, gram)
How about customary measurements? What are a couple of common customary measurements we use almost every day? (miles, lb, oz)
We also use, the world over, time measurements - hours, minutes, seconds.
Sometimes we need to convert one measurement for another. Have you ever had to change hours to minutes to figure out how much time you had to complete
something? Or the other way around - minutes to hours? For example, we have 2 hours until lunch. Or we have one hundred twenty minutes until lunch. I'll never
survive 120 minutes! That's so far away! It sounds a lot longer, but it's the same as.....yes, two hours. Seconds are in increments of 60 also. How many seconds in
a minute? (60) How many minutes in an hour? (60) How many seconds in an hour? (60x60=3,600 seconds) How did you come up with that as your answer? What
strategy did you use to convert between hours and minutes and seconds?
When we talk about converting within the metric system, what helps us quickly and easily convert measurements? (metric system is based on 10s; place value)
Here's a meter stick (show students a meter stick). It's a meter long. (place meter stick under document camera and/or distribute meter sticks to students or
student groups). The meter is divided into what smaller measurement units? (call on a student) Yes, centimeters. How many centimeters are in a meter? There's a
clue in the word "centimeter" for those who don't remember how many... "Cent" is the Latin root word meaning what? Yes, "Cent" is the Latin root word meaning
100. So there are...yes, 100 centimeters in a meter. How about a kilometer? Another clue in the word... "Kilo" is the Greek root word for one thousand, so how
many meters are in a kilometer? Yes, 1,000.
All metric measurements follow this place value/base-10 measurement pattern. (This video may be helpful to build teacher background knowledge, or could be
played for students as a comprehensive overview of the the metric system). If we are looking at a liter and a milliliter, how many milliliters are in a liter? Milli is a
prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of one thousandth. How many milliliters would be in a liter? Yes, a thousand. It takes one thousand milliliters to make a
liter. (model on board of chart paper) If I said gram and kilogram, how many grams would be needed to make a kilogram? (1,000; model on board of chart paper;
1kg = ?g) Yes! One thousand. How did you figure out it would be 1,000? (student reply should be along the lines of, using place value, it can be seen that metric
measurement follows a pattern, where each step of the measurements is 10 times larger or smaller than the next measurement. When converting a larger unit to a
smaller unit of measurement, we need to multiply to convert the measurement. When converting a smaller unit to a larger unit, we need to divide to convert the
measurement.) So if it takes 1,000 milliliters to make a liter, does it take 1,000 liters to make a milliliter? Why or why not? Can you explain that? (a milliliter is one
1/1,000th of a liter. A liter is 1,000 times larger than a milliliter. Question and look for the same general explanation for grams and kilograms.)
Customary measurements are a bit different, as they do not follow a pattern of tens. Rather, they are based on old British units of measurement that the British
don't even use anymore! So, for us in the United States, we still use pounds to measure weight, and we break those pounds down into smaller units called ounces.
Who can tell me how many ounces are in a pound? (elicit responses - you should get 16 ounces as an answer) 16 is not quite as fast or easy to work with as 10, is
it?
Guided Practice - break whole classroom into student groups.
1. Teacher will open the body of the lesson by asking students if anyone has summer vacation plans. After calling on a few students, explain to students that you
(teacher) are really, really excited because you and your two children are taking a trip to Europe for summer vacation! You'll be traveling to some of the most
famous European cities, like London, Paris, Venice, and Frankfurt. Display a world map and Europe map.(World map) (Europe map). If you would like to take your
students on a brief virtual tour of Europe I have included this short video.
1. Explain that you need the students' help to make sure you, your children, and your luggage gets where you're traveling in Europe.
1. The students will be responsible for determining distances, weights, volumes, times and costs for your travels.
2. Teacher and students will all work together to review and practice measurements and conversions.
3. Students will then work in groups to find the necessary information for your travels.
page 2 of 5 4. Independently, each student will complete a HELP!! sheet, solving measurements and conversions.
5. Finally, each student will solve one additional measurement problem, and record a 1-2 minute ShowMe video (iPad app) showing the student working out the
conversion equation, while describing what they are doing. The video will then be emailed to the teacher's ShowMe classroom account. (Student Task and
Recording Sheet) (Student Task and Recording Sheet Teacher Key)
(Variations - The final ShowMe iPad task can be removed from the task list if your classroom does not have iPads or a ShowMe account; or you can substitute a stepby-step Powerpoint submission from the student showing the steps of the equation as they solve it; or, if you have video cameras available, students can record each
other solving and explaining the equation on a whiteboard or piece of paper - if you choose this option, be sure you assign students recording each other different
equations to solve; or the students can complete the equation on a piece of paper that is turned in.)
1. On the displayed map, point out Orlando, FL. Tell the students this is where you and your children will be leaving from for your trip to Europe. Run your
finger/pointer/laser pointer/etc. from Orlando to London, England. Ask students how far they think the distance is between the two cities. Write down a few
answers on the board or chart paper. Have students use iPads to discover the distance between Orlando, FL and London, England, using whatever search engine
you select. For example, using a simple Google search with the statement "distance between Orlando, Fl and London England," the first result displayed is a map
showing Orlando to London, with a distance of 4,336 miles. Most students will get this, or a similar, result. (Variation - Students may use classroom or lab
computers instead of iPads to locate the information. Or, if no computers are available, the teacher may provide a list of appropriate measurements.) Once the
students have determined the distance to be 4,336 miles, remind them of the different types of measurement - which one is used in Europe?
2. Have the students find the distance in kilometers (7,393 km) and record it on the task recording sheet. Remember that different sources will provide slightly
different measurement, so student answers may vary slightly. Instead of sending your students on Google or other browser search after the initial search, you may
wish to direct all students to www.travelmath.com to simplify the students' search for distance and time measurements and provide consistency in measurements
for assessment.
3. Take the distance between Orlando and London (7,393 km) and walk the students through the process of converting to meters and centimeters, referencing back to
place value. (1,000 meters to a kilometer; 7,393 x 1,000 - 7,393,000 meters. 100 centimeters to a meter; 7,393,000 x 100 = 739,300,000 cm) What strategies did
you use to get your answer? We can easily convert, because we are working with factors of 10. Discuss with students which distance measurement would probably
be the most useful to a traveler - cm, m, or km? Why?
4. Turn to time. Ask students again how many minutes in an hour, how many seconds in minute, how may seconds in an hour? Have them find the travel time
between Orlando, FL and London, England (9 hrs., 12 mins) Ask if it takes 9 hours, 12 minutes to get from one place, how many minutes does it take? How many
seconds? Work through the conversions with the students. 9 hours = 60 minutes x 9 hours = 540 minutes; 540 minutes x 60 seconds = 32,400 seconds. What
strategy did you use to solve the conversions? Which of these time measurements would probably be most useful to a traveler going from Orlando to London hours, minutes, seconds?
5. Have students working in small groups continue locating the necessary measurement data and converting, as you circulate. Probe for understanding, asking for a
student to explain how they got the answer they did, then asking another student. "What did he/she say?" Question, guide and assist as you circulate.
6. When students have completed their guided, small group practice, call everyone back to whole group, and discuss answers. Elicit helpful critique and discussion of
solutions and strategies used. Reteach whole group as necessary, or pull smaller groups of students needing remediation, and have the other students move to
independent practice.
Independent Practice Summative Assessments
1. Distribute Help!! sheets to students for independent practice helping their teacher travel around Europe. Here, students will independently solve equations converting
various types of measurement, and solve multi-step problems requiring students also multiply multi-digit numbers fluently, using the standard algorithm. They are
required to show their work on the sheet. (HELP!! sheet) (HELP!! Key)
2. After students have completed their Report, the teacher will assign one problem from the worksheet for the student to create a 1-2 minute video on ShowMe,
writing out their work and explaining how they solve it step-by-step. This video will be sent to the teacher on the class account.
3. After students have complete the assignment, the teacher will call the whole class back together for a brief class discussion on difficulties students faced, strategies
used, and how measurement conversion - especially in the metric system - can most efficiently be completed.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
With teacher guidance and initial modeling, students will find and record the measurements specified on the Student Task and Recording Sheet - a combination of
distance, weight, volume, and time measurement, with cost calculations. Students will initially work, with the teacher modeling, to convert measurements. Students
will then complete the recording sheet in their student groups, with the teacher circulating, observing and assisting through questioning.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
Students will complete individual HELP!! sheets (here) (key here) converting measurements related to the travels of their teacher, and record a ShowMe video solving
an assigned conversion, while explaining it. (other options may be used for those classrooms without iPads)
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
The students' reports, after review and any needed corrections, become a resource for their math journals. Papers may be folded and glued into their journals for
future reference.
The students' and teacher's ShowMe videos are available to the whole class, through the class account, as a resource and study aid.
Teacher- and student-created anchor charts remain in the classroom as an additional aid to students. Regular classroom review and practice of measurement
conversion should also take place after this lesson.
Summative Assessment
The students' reports will be a summative assessment of individual mastery of the conversion of units of measurement (the HELP!! sheet). An additional summative
assessment is creation of a ShowMe video (or other option, as listed in the lesson) submitted to the teacher for review and grading.
Formative Assessment
The Guiding Questions provide a formative assessment of current student knowledge of measurement and conversion thereof. As the teacher leads the students
through the discussion, she/he should note any misunderstandings regarding measurement and conversion of units, and expand the questioning, discussion, modeling
and guided practice of these areas. The teacher may prefer to place students in smaller groups and have them discuss some or all of the questions in these smaller
groups before returning to a whole group for discussion and review. (Guiding Questions here)
Feedback to Students
The teacher will give initial feedback either whole group or to small groups, depending on grouping option selected, during the formative assessment period using the
Guiding Questions. As the lesson moves to guided practice, the teacher will continue to monitor student work, and ask probing questions to ensure students are
page 3 of 5 understanding and correctly converting measurement units. As the students move to independent practice, have the students give a thumbs up, sideways, or down.
After checking student work from the guided practice, teacher should pull for small remediation groups as needed. If the remediation group students required extra
time to complete the assignment, it should be provided after remediation.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Students that need additional support may need small group or individual additional instruction and practice.
They may be provided the Student Task and Recording sheet with the measurements already provided.
They may be given teacher or aide assistance in recording their ShowMe video, or this task may be eliminated completely.
The teacher may choose to keep students in small groups to work collaboratively instead of breaking out into individual practice.
Extensions:
Small student groups may research the cities their teacher is visiting, and determine walking or driving distances between popular tourist sites, times to travel
between locations, etc. They then swap the basic information with another student, who completes the conversions requested (kilometers to centimeters, etc.).
Individual students may choose an additional location for their teacher's summer vacation, and work out how the teacher would get there using the smallest
possible measurements, or the largest possible measurements.
Students may create challenge questions for a classroom math center.
Working in pairs or small teams, students can deal out 4 playing cards to create a number. Student then select a measurement, and convert the number to the
possible permutations (pounds to ounces and vice versa; liter to milliliters; kilometers to meters and centimeters, etc.).
Teach students the rest of the metric measurements, using mnemonics and modeling using a number line(one possibility: King Henry Doesn't Usually Drink
Chocolate Milk: kilo-1,000 times larger; hecto-100 times larger; deca-10 times larger; unit-the unit being measured, such as a liter, or a meter, or a gram, etc.;
deci-10 times smaller; centi-100 time smaller; milli-1,000 smaller). A good resource is http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-Within-Metric-Measurements
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Microsoft Office
Special Materials Needed:
Student and teacher iPads with Internet connectivity ShowMe iPad app, and class account
Meter stick for teacher; meter sticks for students optional
Chart paper and markers, or whiteboard and dry-erase markers
World and Europe maps - use maps provided in lesson, or other as preferred
Water bottle and/or 2-liter bottle
Papers and pencils for students
Copies of attachments for teacher and students
Further Recommendations:
Please note that this lesson is written for use in a classroom with 1:1 iPads. It can easily be converted for use in a classroom with no iPads and only a few
classroom computers. Variations are suggested in (parentheses) where applicable.
5th grades utilizes a math reference sheet for Florida's standardized assessment. Providing the allowable reference sheet as a tool may help familiarize students
with using the reference sheet. (reference sheet here)
Additional Information/Instructions
By Author/Submitter
Supports Math Practice Standard 7 - Look for and make use of structure.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Diana Sauls
Name of Author/Source: Diana Sauls
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Citrus
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
MAFS.5.MD.1.1:
MAFS.5.NBT.2.5:
Description
Convert among different-sized standard measurement units (i.e., km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec) 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.
Fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.
Remarks/Examples:
Fluency Expectations or Examples of Culminating Standards
page 4 of 5 5.NBT.2.5 Students fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.
page 5 of 5