Micro-Teach 1 -

Lesson Title/Topic: The International system of units (SI) or metric system

Target Concept: Collecting and recording data using the International system of units
(SI), using appropriate units, and understanding the relationship between mass,
volume, and length using SI

Standards/Rationale: TEKS 112.19 (b) 2 C collect and record data using the
International System of Units

Lesson Objectives: The student will Assessment: TSW complete

measure objects at stations around measurement scavenger hunt in
the classroom determining length, groups of three
mass, volume, and density while
gaining an appreciation for the ease
of conversions using SI

Materials: measuring tapes, graduated cylinder, scale, string, small rocks, objects,
etc. Double-sided handout with guided practice/scavenger hunt.

Lesson Cycle: (Direct instruction)

The teacher will: The student will:

Focus/Mental Set: The teacher will
have students measure lengths of
string using both SI and standard
units. After these measurements are
taken and written on the board,
students will try to make quick
conversions in their heads using both
SI and standard measurements. If
the string is 50 cm long what
percentage of a meter is that? How
about 50 cm expressed in
millimeters? Decimeters?
Other students will come up to the
front of the room and use the
provided materials to measure the
volume (100 ml) of a small container
filled with an unknown liquid (water
with food coloring) then weigh the
container. The container barely floats
measure lengths of string using both
SI and standard units
students will try to make quick
conversions in their heads using both
SI and standard measurements
measure the volume (100 ml) of a
small container filled with an
unknown liquid (water with food
coloring) then weigh the container
Using a 500ml/16.9oz water bottle,
the class will do some quick
conversions into liters, dekaliters, etc.
then try to do the same using
standard units
on the water so the teacher will
explain that volume and weight are
both derived from water in the SI
system and that water weighs 1
kilogram per liter. Since the
container floats, students will be
asked if the container of colored
water weighs more or less than 1
kilogram per liter. Using a
500ml/16.9oz water bottle, the class
will do some quick conversions into
liters, dekaliters, etc. then try to do
the same using standard units.

Teacher Input: The teacher will

describe a quick history of the SI
system, that it is scaled on a factor of
10 and based on fixed, unchanging
standards- The weight and volume of
distilled water and the distance a
beam of light will travel in a given
time period. The students will be
asked to convert inches into feet,
yards (3ft), fathoms (6ft), rods
(16.5ft), the class will not complete
these conversions, the rhetorical
questions will be asked in order to
illustrate the ease of a base 10
system of measurement. The teacher
will ask students questions regarding
the appropriate units to use in a
given situation for example:

The weight of an apple

The distance between Fort Worth and

Dallas

The length of a dog whisker

The amount of liquid in a drinking

glass

The website http://www.metric-

conversions.org will be pulled up to
make quick conversions using SI and
standard units. The mnemonic
device chart will be shown and a
large copy will be placed on the wall
throughout this unit.

Guided Practice: The teacher moves
from station to station asking
questions and offering guidance as
required.
Independent Practice:
Closure: The teacher will have each
student give a rose or a thorn
(something they like or dislike about
the SI system) and answer any
questions the students may have.
TSW move from station to station first
guessing (to get them thinking in SI)
and then accurately measuring
length, volume, and weight,
expressing their results in the most
appropriate units on the front of the
handout
Working in groups of 3-4, students
will complete the scavenger hunt on
the back page of the handout finding
and measuring items throughout the
classroom

Enrichment: Extra credit points for the group References:

or student that figures out the following http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A00016
problem: A tanker truck is carrying 2200 60.html
gallons of water and the truck (empty)
http://www.metric-conversions.org
weighs 8250 Kilograms, can it cross safely
over a bridge with a weight limit of 15 long
tons? Answer: Yes
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0001660.
html is a great student website to make the
necessary conversions to solve the problem