Unit 5, Lesson 7
Meters and Centimeters
Grade 4
Preparation
Lesson Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to make sense of the relative sizes of meters and centimeters and to express meters in terms of centimeters.
Lesson Narrative
In earlier grades, students measured and estimated lengths in centimeters and in meters to develop a sense of each. They learned that there are 100 centimeters in 1 meter. This lesson helps students see the relationship between centimeters and meters in terms of multiplicative comparison (MP7). Building on their work in previous lessons, students recognize 1 meter as being 100 times as long as 1 centimeter. They use this understanding to convert measurements in meters to centimeters.
- Representation
- MLR8
- Describe (orally and in writing) a meter as 100 times the length of a centimeter.
- Determine a measurement in centimeters that is equivalent to a measurement in meters.
- Let’s explore lengths in meters and in centimeters.
Required Preparation
None
Teacher Reflection Questions
What evidence do you have that students are thinking conceptually about “100 times as many” and not simply adding zeros to the end of a number, without reasoning?
Have a correction or suggestion?
Tell us about a typo, a broken link, or an improvement you’d like to see. We read every submission but can’t reply.
Have a question or need support instead? Visit our Contact Us page to reach our team.