#2531. metrics in a baggie

Mathematics, level: Elementary
Posted Wed Mar 27 17:20:31 PST 2002 by pam gardner (pgar1120@aol.com).
kennedale isd, kennedale usa
Materials Required: gallon sized baggie with zipper "bobble"
Activity Time: 45 minutes
Concepts Taught: converting from one metric unit to another

Students need to label a paper with the unit and prefixes for the metric unit.
EX.
KILO HECTO DEKA UNIT DECI CENTI MILLI
Draw columns between each .
Teach the phrase KATIE HALL DRANK______DURING CLASS MONDAY. The unit name can be changed out from lemonade (liters), Milk (meters), Gatorade (grams). This has been used; not my idea exactly.
However, I have the students place these sheets into a gallon baggie. The bobble on the zipper becomes the decimal point. Students will take a problem like: 9m =____ kilo. THe decimal is to be placed on the original units "LINE". The number should be placed as it is in the problem. Now move the bobble to the new unit name's line. =Fill in the empty spaces with zeroes. This is the answer. .009 example. I explain that the movement of the decimal is dividing if going to the left. Multiplication if going to the right. Students quickly pick up the ease of metrics by seeing that it is a base 10 unit.