Converting Measurements
SUBJECT: Math
TEACHERS:
Jamy Myrmel
STANDARD: 5.MD.A.1-Convert like measurement units within a given measurement system.
Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system
(e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world
problems.
OBJECTIVE (EXPLICIT):
 Use a measurement chart to aid in making conversions.
 Use t-charts to make conversions between measurements.
 Make conversions between measurements in order to solve problems.
EVIDENCE OF MASTERY (MEASURABLE):
SUB-OBJECTIVES, SWBAT (SEQUENCED FROM BASIC TO COMPLEX):

KEY VOCABULARY:
MATERIALS: Yard sticks and/or meter
sticks, whiteboards, markers, Doc cam,
Units of measurement
Measurement Stand-off cards, Independent
Practice problems
BEFORE
TEACHER WILL:
Project the warm-up problem under a
document camera. Ask students if the
problem can be solved as it is. Discuss
with students why the problem can’t be
solved as it is. (The measurements
aren’t the same units.)
Introduce to students the word
“conversion.” Write the word on the
board. Tell students that they are going
to learn how to make conversions, or
changing one unit of measurement into
another unit of measurement. Tell
students that converting the
measurements from the warm-up
problem will make the problem solvable.
Tell students they will return to the
problem at the end of the class period
and be able to solve it.
Get out the yard sticks/meter sticks and
rulers. Give out a worksheet with
measurements that the students can
make.
STUDENT WILL:
Discuss if the problem can’t be solved and
why (Jordan’s dad is 71 inches tall.
Michael’s dad is 5 feet, 10 inches tall.
Whose dad is taller?)
Use the meter/yard sticks and rulers to
make conversions by laying them out on
the floor according to the worksheet.
DURING
TEACHER WILL:
Give each student a measurement chart.
Tell them that this chart will help them
convert from one unit of measurement
to another. Tell them that they are going
to use a t-chart as a strategy to help
them convert from one measurement to
another.
Pose the question, “How many quarts
are in 6 gallons?” Draw a t-chart on the
board. See example t-chart, if necessary.
Label the left side “gallons” and the
right side “quarts.” Have students draw
the same t-chart on their whiteboards.
Ask students to look at their
measurement charts and find the
relationship between quarts and gallons.
Choose a student to identify the
relationship. Write 4 quarts equals 1
gallon on the t-chart. Ask students how
many quarts would be in 2 gallons, and
write 2 gallons on the t-chart. Elicit
responses. Record 8 quarts on the tchart. Ask students how they knew the
answer was 8 quarts. Elicit responses.
Students may say they added 4 quarts +
4 quarts. Lead students to see that they
can multiply 2 gallons x 4 quarts. Now
write 6 gallons on the t-chart. Ask
students how they can figure out how
many quarts are equal to 6 gallons. Elicit
responses. Show the multiplication
problem 6 x 4 on the t-chart.
Pose the question, “How many yards are
equal to 27 feet?” Draw a new t-chart on
the board. Label the left side “yards”
and the right side “feet.” Have students
erase the t-chart from the previous
STUDENT WILL:
Create a T-chart on their whiteboards to
solve conversions.
activity and copy the new t-chart on
their whiteboards. Ask students to look
at their measurement charts and find the
relationship between feet and yards.
Choose a student to identify the
relationship. Write 1 yard equals 3 feet
on the t-chart. Ask students how many
yards are in 6 feet. Record 6 feet on the
t-chart. Elicit responses, asking the
student to explain how s/he got 2 yards
as the answer. Lead students to see that Solve real world problems using the TChart to convert units of measurement.
they can divide the number of feet by 3
to find the number of yards. Have
students write 27 feet on the t-chart. Ask
students to divide by 3 to find the
corresponding number of yards. Elicit
answers from students. Record 9 yards
on the t-chart.
Tell students that since they have
learned how to use multiplication and
division to convert, or change, one unit
of measurement into another, they will
now use this skill to solve some word
problems on their whiteboards.
CO-TEACHING STRATEGY IF APPLICABLE
AFTER
TEACHER WILL:
This game can be used instead of the
independent practice or as a test review.
Prior to playing Measurement Stand-off,
copy the game cards and cut them
apart. Place them in a stack face down
so that the questions are not visible.
Divide students into 4-5 teams. Give
each student a copy of the measurement
chart and a piece of notebook paper to
use as scratch paper. Tell students they
will be playing a game called
Measurement Stand-Off. Explain the
rules of the game to students. A
representative from one team will
choose a question from a stack. The
teacher will project the card under the
document camera for all students to
STUDENT WILL:
Play Measurement Stand-off in groups.
see. The question will show two
measurements. If the team is able to
correctly choose the larger
measurement and explain how it found
the correct answer, the team will be
rewarded points based on the difficulty
of the question. If the team does not
correctly choose the larger
measurement or is unable to explain
how it found the answer, the team does
not receive any points. Play continues
until there are no more cards.
When all cards have been played, the
teacher will tell students it’s time for the
Bonus Round. Each team must agree on
an amount of their points they want to
wager. The team may not wager more
points than they have earned. Warn
students that the Bonus Round question
is very challenging. Each team who
gets the Bonus Round question correct
will earn as many points as they
wagered. Each team who gets the Bonus
Round Question incorrect will lose that
many points. The team with the highest
amount of points after the Bonus Round
will earn a reward.
Measurement Stand-Off Cards
Independent Practice