Teaching metric

Through teaching numeracy I have come across many learners who hold the view that we should stick to the imperial system. Initially they can be unreceptive to learning the metric system, but I've developed different strategies for introducing this topic to them. Here are some tips for teaching metric measurements and some suggestions for lessons.

Metric measures - equipment

To teach this topic you would need to invest in some equipment. Here are some suggestions:

• 30 cm rulers in mm and cm
• metre rulers
• tape measures
• retractable tape measures
• trundle wheels
• kitchen scales
• bathroom scales
• measuring jugs (50 ml, 100 ml, 500 ml, 1 l)
• 5 ml spoons

Having different items for students to measure or weigh will also help them visualise metric measurements. For example 200 g of sugar, flour or nuts.

Give some background

I frequently like to start with a discussion on the history of measurements. I have found learners to be fascinated about the way things were measured in the past. Measurement was often based on parts of the body. According to tradition, King Henry I decreed that the yard should be the distance from the tip of his nose to the tip of his outstretched finger. Ask students to compare their arm lengths, their 'yards'. This can be followed up by a discussion on the need to standardise measurements as people come in all shapes and sizes.

People usually think of metric measure as being something new. It was actually developed in France at the end of the 18th Century as a simple replacement for the complex measures then in use. There was opposition to it in those days as there is today. There are several recent news stories available on the internet that show opposition to metric measures. I have provided links to some news stories at the end of this article.

Next page

Page  1  2  3  4