Lesson 3 | Unit Conversions | 4th Grade Mathematics

Objective

Know and relate metric units to place value units in order to express measurements in different units.

Common Core Standards

Core Standards

The core standards covered in this lesson

4.MD.A.1 — Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. Record measurement equivalents in a two column table. For example, know that 1 ft is 12 times as long as 1 in. Express the length of a 4 ft snake as 48 in. Generate a conversion table for feet and inches listing the number pairs (1, 12), (2, 24), (3, 36), …

Measurement and Data

4.MD.A.1 — Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. Record measurement equivalents in a two column table. For example, know that 1 ft is 12 times as long as 1 in. Express the length of a 4 ft snake as 48 in. Generate a conversion table for feet and inches listing the number pairs (1, 12), (2, 24), (3, 36), …

Foundational Standards

The foundational standards covered in this lesson

4.NBT.A.1

Number and Operations in Base Ten

4.NBT.A.1 — Recognize that in a multi-digit whole number, a digit in one place represents ten times what it represents in the place to its right. For example, recognize that 700 ÷ 70 = 10 by applying concepts of place value and division.
4.NBT.A.2

Number and Operations in Base Ten

4.NBT.A.2 — Read and write multi-digit whole numbers using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. Compare two multi-digit numbers based on meanings of the digits in each place, using >, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.

Criteria for Success

The essential concepts students need to demonstrate or understand to achieve the lesson objective

Relate metric units to place value units.
Place various metric units on a number line, relating it to place value where applicable.
Compare and order metric measurements.

Tips for Teachers

Suggestions for teachers to help them teach this lesson

This lesson is optional. It does, however, make a connection across domains between the work of metric measurement conversion (4.MD.1) and students’ place value understanding (4.NBT.A), since “expressing larger measurements in smaller units within the metric system is an opportunity to reinforce notions of place value” (GM Progression, p. 20).

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Anchor Tasks

Tasks designed to teach criteria for success of the lesson, and guidance to help draw out student understanding

Problem 1

a. Solve.

17 thousands 50 ones = _________ ones
17 kg 50 g = _________ g

b. Solve.

10 thousands 567 ones = _________ ones
10 L 567 mL = _________mL

c. Solve.

9 hundreds 2 ones = _________ ones
9 m 2 cm = _________ cm

d. What do you notice about the relationship between Parts (i) and (ii) in each of the problems above? What do you wonder?

Guiding Questions

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Problem 2

a. Place the following quantities on the number line below.

8 m 70 cm

87 cm 4 mm

807 cm

87 mm

b. List the quantities in order from least to greatest.

Guiding Questions

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Problem Set

Problem Set

Answer Keys

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Discussion of Problem Set

What patterns did you notice as you solved #2?
How did you decide where to place the measurements in #5? In #6?
Do you find the number line helpful when comparing measures? Why or why not?
How are metric units and place value units similar? Different?
How did the previous lessons on conversions prepare you for today’s lesson?

Target Task

A task that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved

Explain how knowing that 2 thousands 379 ones is equivalent to 2,379 ones helps you determine the number of grams equivalent to 2 kg 379 g.

Student Response

An example response to the Target Task at the level of detail expected of the students.

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Additional Practice

The Extra Practice Problems can be used as additional practice for homework, during an intervention block, etc. Daily Word Problems and Fluency Activities are aligned to the content of the unit but not necessarily to the lesson objective, therefore feel free to use them anytime during your school day.

Extra Practice Problems

Extra Practice Problems

Answer Keys

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Word Problems and Fluency Activities

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Lesson 2

Lesson 4

Lesson Map

Topic A: Metric Unit Conversion

Express metric length measurements in terms of a smaller unit, recording measurement equivalents in a two-column table. Solve one-step word problems that require metric length unit conversion.

4.MD.A.1 4.MD.A.2

Express metric mass and capacity measurements in terms of a smaller unit, recording measurement equivalents in a two-column table. Solve one-step word problems that require metric mass or capacity unit conversion.

4.MD.A.1 4.MD.A.2

Know and relate metric units to place value units in order to express measurements in different units.

4.MD.A.1

Solve multi-step word problems that requires metric unit conversions of length, mass, and capacity.

4.MD.A.2

Topic B: Customary Unit Conversion

Express customary length measurements in terms of a smaller unit, recording measurement equivalents in a two-column table. Solve one-step word problems that require customary length unit conversion.

4.MD.A.1 4.MD.A.2

Express customary weight measurements in terms of a smaller unit, recording measurement equivalents in a two-column table. Solve one-step word problems that require customary weight unit conversion.

4.MD.A.1 4.MD.A.2

Express customary capacity measurements in terms of a smaller unit, recording measurement equivalents in a two-column table. Solve one-step word problems that require customary capacity unit conversion.

4.MD.A.1 4.MD.A.2

Express time measurements in terms of a smaller unit, recording measurement equivalents in a two-column table. Solve one-step word problems that require time unit conversion.

4.MD.A.1 4.MD.A.2

Solve multi-step word problems involving conversion of customary units of length, weight, capacity, and time.

4.MD.A.2

Topic C: Fraction and Decimal Unit Conversions

Express fractional measurements in terms of a smaller unit.

4.MD.A.1 4.MD.A.2

Express decimal measurements in terms of a smaller unit.

4.MD.A.1 4.MD.A.2

Solve word problems involving converting fractional and decimal measurements to a smaller unit.

4.MD.A.2

Unit Conversions

Objective

Common Core Standards

Core Standards

Measurement and Data

Foundational Standards

Number and Operations in Base Ten

Number and Operations in Base Ten

Criteria for Success

Tips for Teachers

Anchor Tasks

Problem 1

Guiding Questions

Problem 2

Guiding Questions

Problem Set

Discussion of Problem Set

Target Task

Student Response

Additional Practice

Extra Practice Problems

Word Problems and Fluency Activities

Lesson Map

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