UsingConversionsandFractionsinMathematics

GradeLevel:4

OverviewofLesson:
Inthislesson,studentswillbeworkingtogetherwiththeirrespectivecollegementorstosolve
mathematicalproblemsinvolvingmetricsystemconversionsaswellaslearninghowtosolve
wordproblemsinvolvingreallifesituationsbyusingthefourbasicoperations.Uponfinishing
thelesson,studentswillcompleteanassessmentworksheetoutsideofclassinvolvingthe
conceptstheyhavegraspedinthelesson.

PrerequisiteLesson(s):
1) Fractions(adding,subtracting,multiplying,anddividing)

DescriptionofLearners:
Thestudentsparticipatinginthelessonare4thgradersbetweentheagesofnineandten
yearsold.Theyallcomefromdifferentschoolsanddifferenteducationalbackgrounds.

LearningEnvironment:
Thislessonisdesignedtobecompletedbyagroupof1520studentsinalarge,traditional
classroomsetting.Theclassroomincludes:roundtables,wirelessInternet,smallwhiteboards,
andaninstructorstationwithaprojector.

IntendedLearningGoals:
Uponcompletingthelesson,studentsshouldbeabletoaccomplishthefollowinggoals:
1) Studentswillbeabletoconvertmeasurementsfromoneunittoadifferentunit.
2) Studentswillbeabletosolvewordproblemsbyusingthefourbasicoperations.

LessonContent:
Iwantmystudentstobeabletounderstandthemetricsystemandconversionsbetween
differentunitsofmeasurement,performoperationsinvolvingfractions,andusethefourbasic
operationstosolveproblemsinrealworldsituations.

LearningObjectives:
1. Providedwiththeacronymformetricconversionsonaworksheet,studentswillbe
abletocompletemetricconversionsproblemswithnomorethanthreeincorrect
answers.
2. Givenaworksheetwithwordproblems,studentswillbeabletousethefourbasic
operationstosolvetheproblemswithnomorethantwoincorrectanswers.

Standards:
IndianaDepartmentofEducationMathematicsStandardsforGrade4:
Standard4.M.2(measurement)
:Knowrelativesizesofmeasurementunits
withinonesystemofunits,includingkm,m,cmkg,glb,ozl,mlhr,min,sec.

Expressmeasurementsinalargerunitintermsofasmallerunitwithinasingle
systemofmeasurement.Recordmeasurementequivalentsinatwocolumn
table.
Standard4.M.3(measurement)
:Usethefouroperations(addition,
subtraction,multiplicationanddivision)tosolverealworldproblemsinvolving
distances,intervalsoftime,volumes,massesofobjects,andmoney.Include
additionandsubtractionproblemsinvolvingsimplefractionsandproblemsthat
requireexpressingmeasurementsgiveninalargerunitintermsofasmaller
unit.

RequiredMaterials:
DryEraseBoards,Markers,andErasers
Projector/Whiteboard/Chalkboard
WirelessInternet
BillNyeMetricSystemIntroductoryYoutubeVideo
NotebookPaper
Pencils
Assessmentworksheets

Procedures:
Havestudentspairuptogetherwiththeirrespectivecollegementors.(Thementorswill
beseatednexttotheirassignedstudentsthroughoutthedurationofthelessonto
provideadditionalassistanceandguidancetothestudents).
Askstudentsiftheyknowwhatanacronymis.
Introducestudentstotheacronym:KingHenryDiedUnusuallyDrinkingChocolate
Milk
ShowstudentsthemetricsystemintroductoryYoutubevideo.
Aftervideo,discusswithstudentswhattheyhavelearnedfromit.Askifthereareany
questionsregardingthevideo.
Teachthestudentsconversionsusingthemetricconversionchartprovidedbelowthe
referencedmaterialssectionwhilehavingthemworkalongontheirdryeraseboards.
Writetwopracticeproblemsinvolvingconversionsforstudentstocompleteontheirdry
eraseboards.(Mentorisrightnexttothemforassistance).
Askvolunteerstocometothefrontoftheclassroomandshowworktotheclasson
howtheysolvedtheproblems.
Discussanswerswiththeclass.
Aftermetricconversionportionofthelesson,presentstudentswithawordproblem
involvingareallifesituation.Writetheproblemonthewhiteboardandaskstudentsfor
anyideasonhowtosolvetheproblem.
Discusswithstudentsthefouroperations(addition,subtraction,multiplication,and
division)thatcouldbeusedtosolvetheproblem.
Havestudentsregroupwiththeircollegementorsandcompletethewordproblemon
theirdryeraseboards.Givethestudentsfiveminutestocompletethewordproblem.

 Aftereveryonehasfinishedtheproblem,discussthequestionasaclassandaskfor
volunteerstocomeupinfrontoftheclassroomtoshowtheirworkonhowthey
approachedtheproblem.
Givetheassessmentworksheettothestudentstocompleteoutsideofschooltoturn
inforthenextclass.

Assessment:
Studentswillbegivenaworksheet(providedunderreferencesandreferencematerials)
involvingmetricconversionsandwordproblems.Therewillbesixmetricconversionsandfour
wordproblems.Studentswilltaketheworksheethometocompleteindividuallyandreturnitat
thebeginningofthenextclass.


ReferencesandReferenceMaterials:

IndianaAcademicStandardsMathematics:Grade4.(2014,June26).RetrievedMarch23,2015,
fromhttp://www.doe.in.gov/standards/mathematics
McCullar,H.h.(2015).Amireallyteachingengineeringtoelementarystudents?.
Science&
Children
,
52
(7),8084.
ThisjournalarticlediscussestheintroductionofengineeringinSTEMwithyoung
elementarystudentsfromanenvironmentalengineering

summercamp.Thearticleexplainshowthematerialwaspresentedforthestudentsat
thecamp.Forexample,onesubtitlewasengage.Theteacherofthislessonhadthe
studentsdrawapictureofanengineerasanintroductiontothetopic.Thenextstepthe
teacherdidwashavethestudentsexplorethetopicofengineeringandtechnology.By
doingthis,shehadthestudentscompleteexperiments.Shehadthembuildastructure
thatcouldcarryaPingPongBall.Thestudentswerealsoabletoexplorethedifferent
fieldsanengineercouldworkin.Theteacheralsohadthestudentscompleteonemore
projectinvolvingbuildingasailforaboat.Theyeventuallyhadtoexplaintheirdesign
totheclass.Lastly,theevaluationoftheprojecttookplacetoseewhattheyhave
learned.Thereweretwoassessmentsgivenandtheteachermetwiththegroups
discussingtheirprojects.
Overall,thisarticleisveryvaluablewithlessonplandevelopment.Thearticleprovides
evidenceofhowtheteacherengagedherstudentswithdifferentprojects.It
demonstratedthestudentsworkingtogetherbydesigningandexplainingtheirworkto
theclassroom.Itrevealedhowtheinstructorevaluatedthestudentsbygivingthem

assessments.Allofthesecomponentsdiscussedinthisarticlegavemygroupstrategies
forcreatingourmathlessonplan.Inaddition,thisarticlecouldbevaluablewith
introducingengineeringinSTEMelementary.Itprovidesgoodstrategiesforteacherto
provideforyoungthinkers.
Nadelson,L.,Callahan,J.,Pyke,P.,Hay,A.,Dance,M.,&Pfiester,J.(2013).TeacherSTEM
PerceptionandPreparation:InquiryBasedSTEMProfessionalDevelopmentfor
ElementaryTeachers.
TheJournalofEducationalResearch,

106
(2),157168.
ThisjournalarticleexplainsthatthefoundationsfortheSTEMdisciplinesare
laidprimarilyduringstudentselementaryschoolyears.Duetofindingssuggestingthat
manyelementaryschoolteachersareusinginefficientmethodstoteachtheSTEM
disciplines,theauthorsofthearticlehavecreatedaprofessionaldevelopmentprogram
topromotepositiveattitudesandincreaseefficiencyandconfidenceinregardstothe
teachingofSTEM.Resultsoftheprogramhaveindicatedthatadeeperunderstanding
ofSTEMcanbeachievedthrough,namely,inquirybasedlearningandhandson
activities.Inthelessonplanthatwevecreated,inquirybasedlearningisincludedsince
thelessonrequirestheteachertocontinuallyaskstudentsquestionsregardingthe
mathematicsconceptsbeingtaughtandaboutthemethodologythatcouldbeusedto
solvethemathproblems.Inaddition,handonactivitiesarealsoprevalentinthelesson
inregardstothedryeraseboardseachstudentisgiventopracticethenewconcepts
theyarelearningasthelessonprogresses.
oserick.(2015,March24).
BillNyesintroductiontothemetricsystem
[Videofile].Retrieved
fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U04nHNUMfPA


https://smediacacheak0.pinimg.com/736x/fe/4a/42/fe4a424c41d977f03f9fca21a15fdcb8.jpg

MetricConversionsandWordProblemsWorksheet

Name:_________________

KingHenryDiedUnusuallyDrinkingChocolateMilk

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

1000mg=_______g
160cm=_______cm
14km=_______m
1L=_______mL
109g=_______kg
3.7g= _______mg

7) Sarahhas2bagsofrice.Onebagofrice
contains1gramsofriceandtheothercontains
3gramsofrice.Together,howmanykilograms
ofricedoesSarahhave?

8) MikeistravelingfromthetownofLynnto
Richmond.Thetotaldistanceis15kilometers.
Hehasalreadydriven8kilometers.Howmany
moremetersdoeshehavetodrive?

9) Johnnyandhisthreefriendseachhave$10to
spendatthemovies.Howmuchmoneydothey
havealtogether?

10)Rachelhastofinishrunningfivelapsaroundthe
fieldin15minutes.Ifsheneedstospendanequal
amountoftimeforeachlap,howmuchtimedoesshe
havetocompleteeachlap?