Maggie s Weekly Lesson Pack! Name Date What happens when you multiply a number by 100? If you said, Add 2 zeroes, you are correct!
It s just as easy to divide a number by 10 or 100. Just take away the zeroes. You can see it is easy to multiply and divide numbers by multiples of 10. This is one reason many countries use the metric system. This measuring system is based on units of 10. Look at this table. It shows numbers in the metric system. You can compare measurements easily. This metric unit is equal to this metric unit. 10 millimeters 1 centimeter 100 centimeters 1 meter 1000 meters 1 kilometer As you can see the units in the metric system are all based on 10. This makes comparisons in the metric system very easy. Let s do some metric thinkers! Use the metric table to help you. Circle the correct answer.
Which is Longer? A. 3 centimeters 30 millimeters They are the same. B. 40 millimeters 4 centimeter They are the same. C. 2000 meters 2 kilometer They are the same.
Feet and Meters Many times people travel around the world like Maggie. Then you need to know how to compare yards and miles to meters and kilometers. Take a look at this table. The numbers have been rounded to make it easier to understand. This metric unit is about the same as: 25 millimeters 1 inch 2.5 centimeters 1 inch 1 meter 3.3 feet 1 kilometer 0.6 miles
Use this table to help you think about comparisons. What metric unit would be the best to measure: A. a grain of rice B. the distance between Denton, Texas and Dallas, Texas C. the length of a blackboard D. your finger E. a refrigerator
Using Your Metric Knowledge! There are many famous bridges around the world. Read about each bridge. Solve the problem. Use the tables to help you. 1. No, it s not falling down, but it is a bridge in London. It s the Tower Bridge. Many people come to the Tower Bridge each year. It s a London landmark. These people may not know that the Tower Bridge is a bascule bridge. That means the bridge is on the level with the street. It has two arms that are raised or lowered when ships need to pass. The total length of the Tower Bridge is about ½ mile. How many kilometers would this be? Circle the correct number. In the box, explain why you chose this answer. a little less than 20 kilometers a little less than 1 kilometer about 10 kilometers about 80 kilometers
2. The Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys was the longest bridge in the world when it was first built. But, it really wasn t 7 miles long. It was 9 miles long. Then a new Seven Mile Bridge was built. It isn t 7 miles long either it is only 6.77 miles long. If the bridge had a metric name, it would be Eleven Kilometer Bridge. How many meters is 11 kilometers? Circle the correct answer. 11,000 meters 110 meters 1100 meters 110,000 meters Explain your thinking in the box. 3. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a symbol of Australia. It was opened in March of 1932. This steel bridge took 6 years to build. The bridge has special hinges. These hinges absorb the expansion
that takes place in the hot sun. The bridge has a height of 134 meters. About how many centimeters high is this bridge? Circle the correct answer. 1340 centimeters 13.4 centimeters 13,400 centimeters 134,000 centimeters Explain your thinking in the box. 4. When building the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan, workers had to be very careful. The bridge was to be built over an important fishing area. They took special care to protect the marine ecosystem. The bridge was finished in 1998. Its towers are about 283 meters high.
How many millimeters is this? Circle the correct answer. 2830 millimeters 28.3 millimeters 28,300 millimeters 283,000 millimeters Explain your thinking in the box. 5. The Mackinac Bridge connects Michigan s Upper and Lower Peninsula s. Every year, many people drive over this 5 mile bridge to enjoy the beauty of the forests, streams, and lakes in the Upper Peninsula. On Labor Day morning, the bridge hosts a walk. People can stroll over the bridge s 8038 meters. About how many kilometers long is the Mackinac Bridge? Circle the correct answer.
8.038 kilometers 83.8 kilometers 803.8 kilometers 1803 kilometers Explain your thinking in the box. Using What You Know! Design your own bridge. Name the bridge. Tell where it is located. What would you need to think about when planning and building your bridge? What would the height be? What would the length of your bridge be? Write about your bridge on the lines below. Then draw a picture of your bridge on the back of this paper. Include the height and length of your bridge in meters or kilometers. Have a friend change your kilometers to meters or your meters to kilometers.
Dear Colleague, This activity is intended to give your students an introduction to the metric system, and a better understanding of its units of measurement. They will also receive practice in multiplying and dividing units of ten. When they write the reasons for their answers, students are cementing their understanding and deepening their problem solving skills. Integrating an understanding of world bridges seems a natural way to better understand metric length measurements. It is my hope your children will enjoy this introduction to metrics and have fun designing their own bridges. I would love to see some of them and use them in our Gallery. Please send them to me at: Kathy@missmaggie.org or Maggie s Gallery P.O. Box 1850 Middleburg, VA 20118
Answer Key: Which Is Longer? All of the measurements are equal. This should help students see the ease in comparing metric system measurements. Feet and Meters A. millimeter B. kilometer C. meter D. centimeter E. meter Using Your Metric Knowledge 1. a little less than one kilometer 2. 11,000 meters 3. 13,400 centimeters 4. 283,000 millimeters 5. 8.038 kilometers