Nodehill Maths

Metric Units

Children need to be able to use the basic metric units in order to measure the length, weight and volume, or capacity, of items around them. They need to know which unit of measure best suits the problem given, and be able to convert from one unit of measure to another.

The basic facts which they need to learn in relation to measure are as follows:

Length

There are 10 mm (millimetres) in 1 cm (centimetre)

There are 100 cm in  1 m (metre)

There are 1000 m in 1 km (kilometre)

Weight

There are 1000 g (grams) in 1 kg (kilogram)

Volume / Capacity

There are 1000 ml (millilitres) in 1 L (Litre)

Things to measure and weigh are all around us and children have lots of opportunities to practise with measuring around the home, either measuring the lengths of things with rulers; the weight of things on scales or the volume or capacity of items with measuring jugs.

This practise will enable them to undestand that you would measure the length of a stamp in mm; the length of a piece of A4 paper in cm; the length of a room in metres and the distance between towns in kilometres.

Also that sugar would be measured in grams, but a bag of potatoes would be measured in kilograms etc.

Converting Metric Units

  As well as understanding how many metres there are in a kilometre, or how many grams there are in a kilogram, children are also expected to be able to convert from different metric units i.e. How many millilitres in 3.4 litres, how many millimetres in 23.7 centimetres etc.

In order to convert from one metric unit to another children first have to be able to multiply and divide by 10, 100 and 1000, and then remember which calculation they are actually going to perform.

The basic rule for multiplying by 10, 100 and 1000 is that all the digits in the number move 1, 2, or 3 columns to the left respectively, and to the right when dividing, so:

2.34 x 10 = 23.4,    34.5 x 100 = 3450,     6.73 x 1000 = 6730

So that the children can remember which of these calculations to do when converting from the different units, I have prepared a sheet below, which can be downloaded, including flowcharts showing which calculations they have to perform. Under the flowcharts are a number of questions for them to answer. I have also included another sheet which has the digits removed so that you can put your own digits in, if you wish to have extra practise.

Download microsoft_word_converting_metric_units.pdf

Measuring Around the Home

There are lots of opportunities for children to measure things around the home in order to improve their concepts of weights and measures.

Often in tests they will be given multi choice questions about how much an item may weigh, hold or how long it would be. e.g. How much water will a cup hold :  a) 25ml   b) 250ml   c) 2500ml   d) 25L?

Children thus need experience in measuring lengths, weights and capacities, so that they have an understanding of what the units actually mean, and which units would be appropriate to measure different items.

I have therefore included below a worksheet, which can be downloaded, which includes examples of items which the children could measure using equipment which you would normally have at home such as rulers, tape measures, kitchen scales, bathroom scales or measuring jugs. As usual a blank sheet has also been included so that you can give them extra practice if you wish.

Download microsoft_word_measurements_around_the_home.pdf