Metric Measurement Mania

Contributor: Laquita Collins. Lesson ID: 14192

Dive into the exciting world of metric measurement and learn to convert metric units for volume and weight. Discover how these skill are used in science and everyday situations.

categories

Measurement and Data, Middle School

subject
Math
learning style
Kinesthetic, Visual
personality style
Lion, Otter, Beaver
Grade Level
Middle School (6-8)
Lesson Type
Quick Query

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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Think fast!

  • What weighs more—a kilogram of feathers or a kilogram of bricks?

You might be surprised to find out they both weigh exactly the same!

While those fluffy feathers might take up a lot of space, the solid bricks are all about that weighty impact!

a punch coming through a wall

  • Are you ready to dive into the world of the metric system?

Learn how to convert between different units of volume and weight, a super helpful skill in science class and your everyday life.

Get started on this fun adventure!

Before diving into converting units, check out a handy metric conversion chart!

This chart compares liters (L) with milliliters (mL) and kilograms (kg) with grams (g), serving as your guide to understanding how these different units relate to each other.

conversion chart

How to Convert

Volume

To convert liters (L) to milliliters (mL), multiply by 1,000.

To convert milliliters (mL) to liters (L), divide by 1,000.

Weight

To convert kilograms (kg) to grams (g), multiply by 1,000.

To convert grams (g) to kilograms (kg), divide by 1,000.

Now, it's time to practice converting units!

Imagine you have a measuring cup filled with juice that holds 300 milliliters.

measuring cup filled with 300 mL of juice

  • How do you convert this into liters?

You divide the number of milliliters by 1,000.

Grab a piece of paper and solve this problem.

300 mL ÷ 1,000 = ?

  • What do you get?

That's right!

300 mL ÷ 1,000 = 0.3 L

So, there are 0.3 liters of juice in that measuring cup.

Now, shake things up a bit!

  • What if that measuring cup was filled with 300 liters instead?

To find out how many milliliters that would be, multiply by 1,000.

Work out this problem on your paper.

300 L x 1,000 = ?

  • What do you come up with?

Correct!

300 L x 1,000 = 300,000 mL

Try these problems out!

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Great work!

Now that you've practiced converting volume, switch gears and tackle weight.

Here’s a picture of a food scale showing 5 eggs that total 339 grams.

five eggs on a food scale showing 339g

  • How do you convert this weight into kilograms?

Divide the total number of grams by 1,000.

So, try this calculation.

339 g ÷ 1,000 = ?

  • What's your answer?

Well-done!

339 g ÷ 1,000 = 0.339 kg

So, that's 0.339 kilograms of eggs.

Now, consider a backpack that weights 2.5 kilograms.

  • How do you convert that into grams?

Multiply the number of kilograms by 1,000.

2.5 kg x 1,000 = ?

  • Got it?

That's it!

2.5 kg x 1,000 = 2,500 grams

Give these problems a go!

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Awesome job!

Understanding how to convert between different units of volume and weight is super helpful. It helps you tackle measurements in everyday life — like cooking, shopping, or conducting science experiments.

Now that you’ve nailed converting volume and weight, head over to the Got It? section to test your converting skills!

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