How to Learn Metric System in the Sixth Grade

Sixth-grade students are pre-teens who are capable of learning song lyrics or the rules to a new video game in a short time. Why? Because it interests them. The metric system on the other hand can end up boring a student. Approaching the subject in a creative and fun manner will make learning the metric system an easy task.

Instructions

1

Design a metric stair chart like the winner's platform at the Olympics with the addition of two more steps on each side. There are seven steps altogether. The middle one is for the specific measurement like; gram, liter, and meter. Draw a character that runs the chart from one stair to another. Let the students give the character a name.

2

Begin with a gram, the measurement of dry weight. Put the word "gram" on the middle step. To the right are measurements smaller than a gram. The first prefix to the right is deci, one-tenth of a gram. The next one is a centi, which is one-hundredth of a gram, and the last one is milli, which is one-thousandth of gram. Let students create a story or song that involves each stair.

3

Note that each stair to the right adds one zero to the right of the initial number. For instance; 1 meter equals 10 decimeters, 100 centimeters and 1,000 millimeters. Moving to the right on the ladder requires multiplying. An example is three meters equals 300 centimeters; two stairs to the right added two zeros. You can make the character grow or become smaller for each stair for visual effects.

4

Work toward the left of the middle stair to measurements that are larger than a meter. The first stair to the left of the middle is deka, which is 10 times larger than a meter. Next is hecto, 100 times larger than a meter. The last stair is kilo, which is 1,000 times larger than a meter. Moving to the left on the stairs is always divided or you can make it easier by moving the decimal to the left for each stair. For example 40 meters equal 4 dekameters because you moved one step to the left and moved the decimal point by one.

5

Identify the middle step as a meter to measure length, a gram to measure dry weight or a liter to measure liquids. Prefixes are used interchangeably with units of measure such as millimeter, milligram and milliliter. Create teams and let students compete for the correct answers.

6

Practice moving between stairs multiplying or adding zeros to the right and dividing and moving the decimal to the left. Make the scale fun by playing games.