PowerPoint created by Parsheena Berch Resource : JBHM material Pictures: Google Images

Selecting and Applying Units of Measure

Has your homework been checked? Let’s share pictures from your homework assignment from yesterday.

How will you measure up activity? Post a large piece of chart paper divided into columns or divide the board into columns. Label each column with a different unit of measurement and include units for length, mass, volume, and temperature. Pass out pictures of different objects cut-out from magazines. Each of you should have one item. Now you will come and tape the picture under the appropriate column for the unit of measurement appropriate for the object.

Some objects may be able to fit into more than one category, depending on if it is measured for length, mass or volume. Discuss these as a class and decide on the most fitting or choose one as a class. As students tape their picture up, have the class give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down if they agree or disagree with the choice. Guide students through this activity by asking appropriate questions and with positive feedback. Remember, this can be difficult and confusing for students as many have not worked with most of these units of measure.

Let’s discuss and explain the following: How would someone go about buying enough paint to paint a room or determining how far it is to school each day? When measuring, answer three questions: 1. What is being measured? 2. What unit and instrument/tool needs to be used to measure the object? 3. Determine the measure. For now, you will just be focusing on Steps 1 and 2, determining what tools to use and what unit of measure to use. If appropriate, have students use both metric and English units.

The different tools used for measuring length, mass, volume, and temperature. You will need to see and practice using a ruler (yardstick and meter stick), scale, measuring cups, beakers or cylinders, and thermometer. Be sure that the tools show both metric and English measurement units. Make a three-column chart on the board or chart paper, then guide students through the following examples to identify the instrument to measure with and the unit of measure to use.

Give the following for the example: Instrument Unit Length of your textbook Ruler inches/centimeters Weight of a paperclip scale grams/ounces

In small groups you will determine the instrument or tool and measurement unit for each item: Length of the chalkboard Weight of a textbook Today’s temperature Amount of carpet to cover the floor of the classroom Diameter of a penny Width of a notebook page Distance from home to school Mass of an apple Length of a piece of chalk Temperature of bathwater

Closure: Restate the objective. Tell the unit of measure that would be used for each of the following: How much water does a bathtub hold? (gallons or liters) What is the distance from the Gulf Coast to Jackson, MS? (miles or kilometers) How much would a baby elephant weigh? (ton or metric ton) How tall is the Empire State Building? (feet/yards or meters) How much liquid is in a can of soda? (fluid ounces or milliliters)

Homework: Watch the evening news on television or listen to the news on the radio and report what you hear about the weather. What will be the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and degrees Celsius for tonight, tomorrow, and the rest of the week?