Place Value: Metric System printable pdf download

PLACE VALUE: METRIC SYSTEM

PURPOSE

This Mathsheet practises place value in relation to the metric system and emphasizes multiples of

10, 100, and 1000.

PREPARATION

You need a metre stick, a variety of grocery items sold by weight (like cereal and canned goods), a

measuring cup, and measuring spoons. You will also need a pencil.

PROCEDURE

The next page is a reference page that lays out the relationships among the various units used to

measure length, mass (weight), liquid capacity, area, and volume. The most common units are the

thousands (kilometre), kilogram, and kilolitre); ones (metre, gram, and litre); hundredths (centimetre,

centigram, and centilitre); and thousandths (millimetre, milligram, and millilitre).

Begin by explaining the relationships among the metric units used to measure distance. Allow your child

to verify the relationships by measuring distances with the metre stick. Perhaps you could go for a

kilometre-long walk. Once your child understands the relationships among kilometres, metres, centimetres

and millimetres, draw his or her attention to the Distance units in the chart on the next page. Note

that the number gets bigger as the unit of measure gets smaller. You may have to teach the principle

of multiplying and dividing by 10 (when multiplying, add a zero; when dividing, subtract a zero).

You may need to start slowly, working only with the top line of the Distance units at first.

Once your child has mastered the concept of distance measurement, provide some practice

using the third page of this Mathsheet. Enter a number in each bolded box in the Distance units,

and ask your child to fill in the equivalent units in the rest of the boxes.

Once your child has grasped the principles involved in distance measurement, introduce the other

concepts one by one, in the same manner. Provide practice with concrete examples of the various

units of measurement.

If you find the Area and Volume units too difficult for your child at this time, they can be revisited later.

The ****** indicates that the numbers have too many digits and may be omitted for lack of space.

Place Value: Metric System