Unit Conversion Workshop: Centimeters to Meters

Grade: 3-5 grade

Subject: Math

Lesson Objectives: By the end of this lesson, your students will be able to understand the relationship between centimeters and meters. They'll convert centimeters to meters and apply these conversions in real-life situations.

Materials Needed

• Ruler or measuring tape (marked in centimeters and meters)

• Worksheets for practice

• Whiteboard and markers (for demonstrations)

Lesson Introduction

The Unit Conversion Workshop will help us focus on converting centimeters to meters. This skill is handy, especially when dealing with measurements in everyday life, science projects, or just understanding those pesky rulers better.

Warm-Up Activity

Let's start with a quick warm-up. Grab your ruler, look at the centimeter side, and then find the meter side. See if you can figure out how many centimeters equals one meter. (Allow your students time to explore their ruler.) Yes, 100 centimeters equals one meter.

Now, get up from your seat and find something measuring about one meter in the room. (Give your students only a few minutes to measure items in the room and return to their seats. Once you are gathered again, ask a few students to share what they measured.)

Understanding the Basics

What Are Centimeters and Meters?

Centimeters (cm) and meters (m) are units of length in the metric system. The metric system is used worldwide and is based on multiples of 10, making conversions pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

1 meter (m) = 100 centimeters (cm)

Why Convert?

Why would you need to convert your measurements? (Allow your students to provide examples of times you have to convert measurements. It does not have to be strictly meters to centimeters or vice versa.)

Understanding conversions helps in various scenarios:

• Cooking: Recipes might need conversions.

• Shopping: Sometimes, sizing measurements on labels are in different units.

• Schoolwork: Science and math problems often require conversions.

Conversion Formula

The formula to convert centimeters to meters is:

meters = centimeters / 100

Divide the number of centimeters by 100 to get the measurement in meters.

Step-by-Step Conversion

Let's go through this step-by-step:

1. Identify the Measurement: 250 centimeters is how many meters?

2. Apply the Formula: meters = 250 cm / 100

3. Calculate: meters = 2.5m

250 centimeters equals 2.5 meters.

Practice Makes Perfect

Let's convert the following measurements together. Work with the partner next to you to complete numbers 1 through 4. Don't forget to use your formula: meters = centimeters / 100

1. 150 cm = ___ m

2. 75 cm = ___ m

3. 320 cm = ___ m

4. 50 cm = ___ m

Answer key

1. 150 cm / 100 = 1.5 m

2. 75 cm / 100 = 0.75 m

3. 320 cm / 100 = 3.2 m

4. 50 cm / 100 = 0.5 m

Great job! Now, try a few on your own.

Real-Life Application

Example 1: Decorating Your Room

Imagine you're buying a new carpet for your room. The carpet's length is shown in centimeters, but you need to know how large it is in meters. If the carpet length is 300 cm, how many meters is that?

300 cm / 100 = 3 m

The carpet is 3 meters long.

Example 2: Measuring Height

You measured your height at 160 cm, but you want to know how tall you are in meters. Solve to find your height in meters.

160 cm / 100 = 1.6 m

Your height is 1.6 meters.

Classroom: Conversion Scavenger Hunt

Find five items around our classroom that you can measure in centimeters. Then, convert those measurements to meters.

1. Item 1

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

2. Item 2

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

3. Item 3

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

4. Item 4

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

5. Item 5

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

Homework: Conversion Scavenger Hunt

Continue practicing measuring and converting items from cm to m. Find five items around your house that you can measure in centimeters. Then, convert those measurements to meters.

1. Item 1

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

2. Item 2

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

3. Item 3

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

4. Item 4

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

5. Item 5

   1. Item Name:

   2. Length in cm:

   3. Length in m:

Wrap-Up

To wrap up, let's recap what we've learned:

• 1 meter equals 100 centimeters.

• To convert centimeters to meters, divide by 100.

• This skill is useful in everyday situations, from decorating to understanding your height.

Written by Brooke Lektorich
Education World Contributor
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