Converting Unit - Metric Measures - Planning

In a comprehensive Year 6 curriculum focused on converting units, the spring term begins with a week dedicated to understanding metric measures. The national curriculum objectives for this week include solving problems that require calculation and conversion of various units of measure, with an emphasis on using decimal notation up to three decimal places. Students are expected to read, write, and convert between standard units, including length, mass, volume, and time, both from smaller to larger units and vice versa. They will also learn to convert between miles and kilometres. Key vocabulary such as 'metric measures', 'convert', and 'decimals' are integral to the lessons, and resources like worksheets and presentations are provided to support the learning process.

The lesson plan starts with a recap of previous learning and then moves on to activities that help students read and recognise metric measures for length, mass, and capacity. For instance, students discuss which metric units are appropriate for measuring a range of items and why some units may be more suitable than others. This is followed by exercises where students estimate and justify the most appropriate measurements for various objects. Group work and independent activities with differentiated worksheets allow students to practice reasoning and problem-solving skills. By the end of the lesson, students should be able to discern between units of measure, apply estimation skills effectively, and understand the relative sizes of different metric units. The lesson concludes with a reflective 'Give me five' session where students recap what they have learned, the skills they used, and those they found challenging, as well as the resources that assisted them in the lesson.