Converting Measurements
Grade Levels: 5 - 6
Objectives- Students will use the Internet to find out the distance from one place to another.
- Students will convert units of length.
- Students will solve problems by multiplying and dividing whole numbers.
Materials
- Converting Measurements worksheet
- How Far Is It? website (http://www.indo.com/cgi-bin/dist)
Procedures
- Ask students to go to How Far Is It? and use the site to find distances between cities.
- Students should use the information they find and their distance-conversion skills to complete the Converting Measurements worksheet.
- Students may complete this activity in pairs or small groups.
- Schedule class time for students to share their findings.
Assessment
- Use students' responses on their activity worksheets and their participation in the class discussion to evaluate their understanding of distance measurements, conversions, and their ability to find and use information on the Internet.
- Find a variety of assessment techniques to use with this lesson.
Extension Activities
- Choose from a large collection of cross-curricular activities for all grade levels.
- Steer your students in the right direction in Flight Path (http://www.planemath.com/activities/flightpath/flightpathhome.html). Challenge them to click on "Lesson" and find the shortest route from San Francisco to New York City.
- Invite students to play a game of Measure It! (http://funbrain.com/measure/index.html). Have them start by clicking on "medium inches" to test their skills. Then they should try the more difficult levels.
Standards Correlations
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Students:
- develop fluency in multiplying and dividing whole numbers.
- carry out simple unit conversions within a system of measurement.
National Educational Technology Standards
Students:
- use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information.
- employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.
