Converting Units - Imperial Units (Activity) - Planning

Year 5 students are introduced to the world of measurement conversion in the second week of their Summer term, focusing on the approximate equivalences between metric units and common imperial units such as inches, pounds, and pints. They will also tackle problems involving the conversion of time units. The lesson's key vocabulary includes terms like 'measurement', 'convert', 'metric', 'imperial', and 'approximate', among others, which are essential for understanding the concepts taught. Students will use practical resources such as rulers, metre sticks, and mini whiteboards to aid their learning, with a presentation to guide the class through the lesson.

The class will begin by recapping the relationship between imperial units of measurement, specifically inches and centimetres, and inches and feet. Using a ruler, they will observe that there are approximately 2.5cm in an inch and discuss the use of inches in measuring human height. In the first activity, students will work in pairs to calculate how many centimetres are in 5 inches using a simplified multiplication method. The second activity will reverse the process, converting centimetres into inches by dividing by 2.5. The lesson will also cover the exact conversion of 12 inches to a foot and involve measuring their own height in both imperial and metric units for comparison. Throughout the lesson, students are encouraged to think about the applications of these measurements and the importance of accurate conversions.