Converting Units - Converting Units of Time - Starter

In a Year 5 mathematics lesson, students are tasked with mastering the conversion of units, particularly focusing on units of time and mass. The lesson starts with a 'Fluent in Four' revision segment designed to sharpen mental arithmetic skills through quick-fire multiplication problems. Following this warm-up, the class is introduced to the concept of converting between kilograms and pounds, with exercises that require the students to apply the approximate conversion rate of 1 kg to 2 lbs. They are given several examples, such as converting 5 kg to pounds, 3 lbs to kilograms, and 19 kg to pounds, which they are expected to complete accurately.

The lesson also incorporates problem-solving strategies, such as using rounding to the nearest thousand to simplify calculations. The bar model, a visual tool for representing mathematical concepts, is used to assist students in understanding division and multiplication problems. For instance, they calculate what 7/9 of 135 is, using the bar model to visualise the problem. Additionally, the lesson includes a real-life application of these skills: Si needs to estimate the length of his old fence in order to buy a new one. Students are given the lengths of the four sides of the fence in centimetres and asked to calculate the total approximate length, using their understanding of addition and rounding to aid their estimations.