Lesson Plan: Converting Common Units of Linear Measure (Meters and

Centimeters)

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Converting Between Meters and Centimeters
Duration: 60 minutes

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Understand the relationship between meters and centimeters (1 meter = 100 centimeters).
2. Convert between meters and centimeters (both from larger unit to smaller unit and vice
versa).
3. Solve real-world problems involving unit conversions.
4. Demonstrate their understanding of unit conversion through hands-on activities and
problem-solving.

Materials Needed:

 Whiteboard and markers

 Rulers with both meters and centimeters marked
 Measuring tapes or small measuring tools
 Conversion chart (1 meter = 100 centimeters)
 Flashcards for motivational games
 Student notebooks and pencils
 Worksheets for formative assessment
 Small objects (e.g., books, erasers, pencils) for hands-on activities

Lesson Outline:

1. Warm-Up Activity (5-7 minutes)

 Objective: Activate prior knowledge and introduce the topic.

 Teacher Activity:
Begin with a few warm-up questions to engage the students and activate their prior
knowledge about measuring length:
o "Have you ever measured something in centimeters or meters before?"
 o "What’s the difference between a meter and a centimeter?"
Write the terms "meter" and "centimeter" on the board.
Show students a ruler and demonstrate the difference between meters and
centimeters. For example, show how 1 meter is made up of 100 centimeters by
pointing to both on the ruler.
o Motivational Game: "Conversion Relay"
(3 minutes)
Show students a flashcard with a length (e.g., "2 meters") and ask them to call out
the equivalent in centimeters. Reward students with small points for correct
answers. This quick game builds excitement and introduces the idea of converting
between units.
 Student Activity:
Students respond to the teacher’s questions. During the game, they raise their hands when
they know the conversion (e.g., "2 meters = 200 centimeters").

2. Introduction to Converting Between Meters and Centimeters (10 minutes)

 Objective: Explain the conversion process between meters and centimeters.

 Teacher Activity:
Explain that meters and centimeters are both used to measure length, but centimeters are
smaller than meters. Emphasize that 1 meter = 100 centimeters.
Use a visual aid or chart to show the conversion:
o To convert meters to centimeters, multiply by 100.
o To convert centimeters to meters, divide by 100.
Example:
o Convert 3 meters to centimeters:
3 meters × 100 = 300 centimeters.
o Convert 500 centimeters to meters:
500 centimeters ÷ 100 = 5 meters.
Walk the students through this with an example on the board.
 Student Activity:
Students listen and take notes. They may ask questions if they need clarification.
Afterward, invite them to help solve another example problem on the board, for example,
converting 4 meters to centimeters.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

 Objective: Practice converting between meters and centimeters with teacher support.
 Teacher Activity:
Write a series of conversion problems on the board. For example:
1. Convert 2 meters to centimeters.
2. Convert 150 centimeters to meters.
 3. Convert 6 meters to centimeters.
4. Convert 300 centimeters to meters.
Work through the problems step by step with the class. Ask students to help you
with the multiplication and division steps. For example,

o "How do we convert 2 meters to centimeters? We multiply by 100. 2 × 100 = 200

centimeters."
Then, for centimeters to meters:
o "Now, for 150 centimeters, what do we do? We divide by 100. 150 ÷ 100 = 1.5
meters."
 Student Activity:
Students work in pairs to solve the same problems independently. They compare answers
with their partners and explain how they solved each one. This peer discussion
encourages deeper understanding.

4. Interactive Group Activity (15 minutes)

 Objective: Reinforce learning through hands-on practice and group work.

 Teacher Activity:
Divide students into small groups and give each group a set of measuring tools (e.g., a
ruler or measuring tape). Provide a list of objects in the classroom (e.g., the length of a
book, the height of a student, the width of a desk).
Ask each group to measure the length of each object in meters, then convert that
measurement to centimeters.
o For example, "Measure the length of this book. How many meters is it? Now
convert that to centimeters."
Walk around and assist groups as needed, making sure they understand the
conversion process.
 Student Activity:
Students work in their groups, measuring objects around the room and converting their
measurements from meters to centimeters. They record their measurements and
conversions in their notebooks.
After each measurement, students share their results with the class, explaining how they
did the conversion.

5. Formative Assessment (5 minutes)

 Objective: Evaluate students’ understanding of the lesson’s key concepts.

 Teacher Activity:
Distribute a short formative quiz with 3-4 problems that require converting between
meters and centimeters.
Example questions:
 1. Convert 3 meters to centimeters.
2. Convert 450 centimeters to meters.
3. Convert 5 meters to centimeters.
4. Convert 250 centimeters to meters.
Allow students 3-5 minutes to complete the quiz individually.
 Student Activity:
Students work independently to complete the quiz, showing their work for each problem.
Collect the quizzes to check for understanding.

6. Discussion & Review (5 minutes)

 Objective: Review the formative assessment and clarify any misconceptions.

 Teacher Activity:
Review the answers to the formative assessment as a class. Ask students to share how
they arrived at their answers, reinforcing the conversion steps.
Discuss any common errors (e.g., forgetting to multiply by 100 when converting meters
to centimeters or dividing incorrectly when converting centimeters to meters).
o "What happens when we need to convert from meters to centimeters? Yes, we
multiply by 100! Let’s see that in action."
 Student Activity:
Students share their reasoning for the answers they provided on the quiz. They can ask
questions if something was unclear or if they made an error.

7. Closing & Homework Assignment (5 minutes)

 Objective: Reinforce learning through homework and exit tickets.

 Teacher Activity:
Summarize the lesson by emphasizing the conversion between meters and centimeters.
Review the conversion formula (multiply by 100 for meters to centimeters and divide by
100 for centimeters to meters).
Provide a homework assignment with a set of conversion problems for students to
complete.
o Homework Assignment:
1. Convert 4 meters to centimeters.
2. Convert 750 centimeters to meters.
3. Convert 2.5 meters to centimeters.
4. Convert 1200 centimeters to meters.
Ask students to show their work for each conversion.
 Exit Ticket:
Before leaving, have each student write down one thing they learned in the lesson today
about converting between meters and centimeters. This will give you quick feedback on
their understanding.
  Student Activity:
Students complete the exit ticket and hand it in as they leave.

Additional Notes:

 Differentiation:
o For students who need extra support, provide a conversion chart or work through
more examples in class.
o For students who grasp the concepts quickly, provide extra challenges like
converting measurements that require more than one step (e.g., converting 5000
centimeters to meters).
 Extension:
o Ask students to find real-life examples of meters and centimeters at home (e.g.,
the length of a pencil or the height of a door) and convert them for additional
practice.

Evaluation:

 Formative Assessment:
Based on students’ participation in group activities and the short quiz.
 Homework:
Review the homework to check for accuracy and understanding of the conversion
process.
Discussion in Lesson Plan: Converting Common Units of Linear Measure
(Meters and Centimeters)

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Topic: Converting Between Meters and Centimeters
Duration: 60 minutes

Objective of the Discussion:

 To explain and solidify the understanding of converting between meters and centimeters.
 To encourage critical thinking and student participation by making the concept relatable
to real-life scenarios.
 To help students understand the practical use of conversions in everyday life.

Discussion Outline:

1. Introduction to the Concept of Units of Measure (5-7 minutes)

 Teacher Activity:
o Start the discussion by asking students what they know about measuring length.
 Questions to ask:
 "How do you measure how long something is?"
 "What do you use to measure objects in your house or at school?"
 "What do you think the difference is between a meter and a
centimeter?"
o Write the terms "meter" and "centimeter" on the board, defining them for the
students:
 A meter is a larger unit of length used to measure things like the height of
a door or the length of a room.
 A centimeter is a smaller unit of length used to measure smaller things like
the length of a pencil or the width of a book.
 Student Activity:
o Students share their thoughts about where and how they’ve seen or used these
units in real life. They may mention measuring their height, measuring furniture,
or seeing meters used in distance signs.

2. Understanding the Relationship Between Meters and Centimeters (8-10 minutes)

 Teacher Activity:
o Introduce the conversion rule:
 1 meter = 100 centimeters.
 Show a visual example on the board:
  Draw a ruler with both meters and centimeters marked. Show how
1 meter is divided into 100 smaller centimeters.
 Use real-world examples: "If I say something is 1 meter long,
imagine a pencil. Now, how many little pieces (centimeters) would
fit inside 1 meter?"
o Discussion:
 "Why do you think there are 100 centimeters in 1 meter?"
 Allow students to think about this question and then explain that smaller
units (centimeters) are used when measuring smaller objects, so we need
more of them to fill a meter.
 Student Activity:
o Students share their ideas. Some might relate the concept to how a meter is
"broken into smaller pieces" by centimeters.
o Discuss why we need a larger unit for bigger measurements and a smaller unit for
smaller things.

3. Conversion Process Discussion (10-12 minutes)

 Teacher Activity:
o Explain the conversion process:
 To convert meters to centimeters, multiply by 100.
 Example: "If you have 2 meters, how many centimeters do you
have?"
 Walk students through the multiplication: "2 meters × 100 = 200
centimeters."
 To convert centimeters to meters, divide by 100.
 Example: "If you have 500 centimeters, how many meters do you
have?"
 Walk students through the division: "500 centimeters ÷ 100 = 5
meters."
o Discussion Questions:
 "Why do we multiply by 100 when we go from meters to centimeters?"
 "When we’re converting from centimeters to meters, why do we divide by
100 instead of multiplying?"
 Encourage students to think about how the relationship between a meter
and a centimeter involves making the number larger or smaller based on
the units being used.
 Student Activity:
o Invite students to solve one or two conversion problems with the class. For
example:
 "If you have 3 meters, how many centimeters do you have?"
 "If you have 200 centimeters, how many meters is that?"
o Ask volunteers to come up to the board and show their thinking, emphasizing the
idea of multiplying or dividing by 100.
o Discuss each student's approach to ensure they understand the reasoning behind
the conversions.
4. Real-Life Scenarios and Discussion (10 minutes)

 Teacher Activity:
o Lead a discussion about real-world situations where converting meters to
centimeters (and vice versa) might be helpful.
 Example scenarios:
 "If you were measuring the length of a classroom in meters and
then wanted to know the exact length in centimeters, how would
you do that?"
 "When you’re measuring the width of a book in centimeters, how
could you use meters if the book’s length was 0.5 meters?"
o Guiding Questions:
 "Why is it important to know how many centimeters are in a meter when
measuring small things like books or pencils?"
 "Can you think of any objects that are better measured in meters? And
why would you measure other objects in centimeters?"
o Use objects in the classroom to demonstrate:
 "This desk is about 2 meters long. Now, how would we convert that into
centimeters?"
 "Here’s a pencil. It’s 15 centimeters long. How could we express that in
meters?"
 Student Activity:
o Students participate by answering questions and offering their own real-life
examples where they would need to convert between meters and centimeters.
o Students might suggest measuring their height or the length of a field in meters,
while smaller objects like toys, books, and pencils are measured in centimeters.

5. Connecting the Conversion to Hands-On Activities (5 minutes)

 Teacher Activity:
o Transition the discussion into hands-on practice by having students use rulers or
measuring tapes.
o Demonstrate: "Let’s take this ruler that shows both centimeters and meters.
Measure the length of this book. How long is it in centimeters? Now, how would
you convert that into meters?"
 Student Activity:
o Students measure various objects around the classroom using a ruler or measuring
tape and convert their measurements from meters to centimeters and vice versa.
o After measuring, students share their results and discuss their thinking with the
class.

Conclusion of Discussion (5 minutes):

 Teacher Activity:
 o Recap the key points from the discussion:
 A meter is a large unit of length, and a centimeter is a smaller unit.
 1 meter = 100 centimeters.
 To convert from meters to centimeters, we multiply by 100. To convert
from centimeters to meters, we divide by 100.
o Encourage students: "Now that you know how to convert between meters and
centimeters, think about all the times in your day you might need to use this
knowledge—whether you’re measuring your school supplies or your height!"
 Student Activity:
o Students share one thing they learned about converting meters to centimeters and
centimeters to meters.
o They can also reflect on when they might use this information in their daily lives.

Discussion Reflection and Evaluation:

 Through the class discussion, students should now have a clear understanding of how
meters and centimeters are related and how to convert between them.
 The teacher should check for understanding through student participation, responses to
questions, and their ability to apply the conversion rules in practice.

Extension for Later Discussion or Activities:

 For further engagement, assign a real-life project where students have to measure various
objects at home, converting between meters and centimeters, and bring their findings
back to class for discussion.
Lesson Plan: Converting Common Units of Linear Measure (Meters and
Centimeters)

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Converting Between Meters and Centimeters
Duration: 60 minutes

1. Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Understand the relationship between meters and centimeters (1 meter = 100 centimeters).
2. Convert between meters and centimeters (both from larger unit to smaller unit and vice
versa).
3. Apply the conversion process to solve real-life problems.
4. Demonstrate their understanding through hands-on activities and formative assessment.

2. Materials Needed

 Whiteboard and markers

 Rulers with both meters and centimeters marked
 Measuring tapes or small measuring tools
 Flashcards for motivational games
 Student notebooks and pencils
 Worksheets for formative assessment
 Small objects (e.g., books, erasers, pencils) for hands-on activities
 Conversion chart (1 meter = 100 centimeters)

3. Instructional Procedure

A. Introduction (10 minutes)

Teacher Activity:

 Start by asking students what they know about measuring objects and if they have heard
of meters and centimeters before.
o Questions to ask:
 “What do you use to measure objects?”
 “What’s the difference between a meter and a centimeter?”
  Write the words "Meter" and "Centimeter" on the board and explain the difference.
o 1 meter = 100 centimeters.
o Show them a ruler and point out how 1 meter is divided into 100 smaller parts,
which are centimeters.
 Motivational Game: “Conversion Relay” (5 minutes)
o Use flashcards with random lengths (e.g., 2 meters, 150 centimeters) and ask
students to shout out the conversion (e.g., “2 meters = 200 centimeters”).
o Reward correct answers with points or stars for excitement.

Student Activity:

 Students actively participate in the warm-up discussion and relay game, sharing what
they know about measuring lengths and calling out answers during the flashcard game.

B. Explanation of Conversion Process (15 minutes)

Teacher Activity:

 Write on the board:

o To convert meters to centimeters, multiply by 100.
o To convert centimeters to meters, divide by 100.
 Example:
o Convert 2 meters to centimeters:
2 meters × 100 = 200 centimeters
o Convert 250 centimeters to meters:
250 centimeters ÷ 100 = 2.5 meters
 Use visuals like a number line or a meter stick to help students visualize how 100
centimeters fit into 1 meter.
 Discussion:
o Ask the class: “If 1 meter is 100 centimeters, what would happen if we measured
3 meters? How many centimeters is that?”
o Discuss why the conversion works by breaking down the concept of
multiplication and division in this context.

Student Activity:

 Students take notes on the conversion rules.

 Volunteer students help solve conversion problems on the board, explaining their
reasoning aloud.
 Engage students in a brief discussion: “What happens when we go from meters to
centimeters? And the opposite, from centimeters to meters?”
C. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Teacher Activity:

 Provide a set of conversion problems for the class to work on together.

o Example problems:
1. Convert 3 meters to centimeters.
2. Convert 500 centimeters to meters.
3. Convert 4 meters to centimeters.
4. Convert 1200 centimeters to meters.
 Solve the first few problems with the class, explaining each step in detail.
 Encourage students to ask questions and participate by solving the next problems.
 Provide individual support as needed, guiding students who may need extra help.

Student Activity:

 Students work in pairs to solve similar problems independently.

 They compare answers and discuss their thinking with their partner to reinforce the
concept.
 Afterward, students share their answers with the class, explaining how they solved each
problem.

D. Independent Practice (10 minutes)

Teacher Activity:

 Give each student a worksheet with additional conversion problems to complete on their
own.
 The problems will include both converting meters to centimeters and centimeters to
meters.
 Walk around the classroom to observe student progress, offering help to those who need
it.

Student Activity:

 Students complete the worksheet individually, showing their work for each conversion
problem.
 They check their answers and self-correct if needed, asking the teacher for assistance if
necessary.

E. Formative Assessment & Closure (10 minutes)

Teacher Activity:

 After the independent practice, quickly review the answers as a class.

 Ask students to explain their thinking behind each conversion, making sure to correct any
misconceptions.
 Use the following questions to guide the class in reflecting on what they've learned:
o "When we convert 3 meters to centimeters, what operation do we use?"
o "How do we know when to multiply and when to divide in the conversion
process?"
o “Can you give me an example of a situation where you would use meters instead
of centimeters?”
 End with a quick Exit Ticket:
o Ask each student to write one conversion problem on a small slip of paper and
solve it (either convert meters to centimeters or centimeters to meters).

Student Activity:

 Students answer questions and explain their reasoning during the class review.
 They complete the exit ticket, writing a conversion problem and solving it before leaving
the class.

4. Assignments

Homework Assignment:

 Students will receive a set of conversion problems to complete at home, ensuring they
practice the skills learned in class.
o Problems:
1. Convert 5 meters to centimeters.
2. Convert 1500 centimeters to meters.
3. Convert 3.5 meters to centimeters.
4. Convert 300 centimeters to meters.
o Students should show their work for each conversion.

Extension Activity (optional):

 Students can measure objects around the house (e.g., a pencil, a book, a door) and convert
the measurements from meters to centimeters or vice versa, and then bring them to class
to discuss.

5. Evaluation
Formative Assessment:

 During the guided practice and independent practice, observe student participation and
provide feedback on their problem-solving methods.
 Use the Exit Ticket to evaluate if students can independently solve conversion problems.
 Review homework assignments for accuracy in applying conversion rules.

Feedback:

 Provide feedback to students based on their worksheet and exit ticket performance,
addressing any common mistakes or misconceptions in the next class.