Estimate Weight in Metric Lesson Plan

1. Discuss different units of measurement with the class. Ask students to list some of the United Stated customary units they know, such as 1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz), 1 gallon = 4 quarts, 4 cups = 1 quart, 2 cups = 1 pint, 12 inches = 1 foot, 3 feet = 1 yard, etc. Then talk about metric units and some of their equivalencies such as 1,000 milligrams (mg) = 1 gram (g), 1,000 grams (g) = 1 kilogram (kg), etc, and how they convert to the U.S. unit; for example, 1 oz = 28 g, 1 lb = 0.45 kg, etc.
2. Ask students to make a list of common objects such as a gallon of milk, a quarter, an apple, etc., and write them down. Then have them estimate how much they think each object would weigh in both standard US units and in metric units.
3. As they look up the actual weights (in both U.S. customary units and metric units) they can erase any inaccurate guess-timates and modify their illustarted list to show how these two sets of measurements compared.
4. Have students present their illustrated comparison chart to another class, asking those students for suggestions of additional objects and their estimated weights in U.S. and metric units.

MATH: Create models that demonstrate math concepts and attend to precision.

MATH: Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length and weight.

Have students measure items in the classroom such as the width of a window, the length of a book, or the height of a desk using the U.S. customary feet and inches. Then have them then convert the findings into metric units.

Most countries in the world use military time (based on 24 hours) rather than the 12-hour system used in the U.S. Have students learn about this method, which starts at 0100 hours (1:00 a.m.) and goes to 2400 hours (midnight).