Measuring and Weighing and Filling, OH MY!

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SWBAT bring the Customary system to a close by reviewing previously taught material and taking a quiz

Big Idea

This lesson drives home the idea that studying for math means practicing problems and reflecting on your strategies


5 minutes

Make sure each student has a white board and marker.  If you are not using the power point but are using the problems, then make sure each group has a set of problem cards.  

Numbered Heads Together Activity

30 minutes

Numbered Heads Together – The students will be answering several questions involving content learned throughout the week.  If an LP projector is available, the teacher can project the questions on the board.  If not, the students can be given hard copies of the problems. 

  • Students work independently to solve the task (solo-silent-mode)
  • When independent work is complete, they can share with their tablemates (team time).  During this time the students will coach each other on their answers.  They will check to make sure each person in the group has the same answer and discuss with each other if the answer is not the same.  They can also talk about strategies to solve and how they know they are correct. Additionally, they can discuss their interpretation of the problem along with representing it quantitatively through the use of a visual diagram. (ELA SL. 6.2) It will be important to frontload this by saying “remember, when we are speaking to someone we make eye contact, use adequate volume and clear pronunciation”. (ELA  SL.6.4)
  • Call a color or number and have 1 person from each group show you their answers.
  • Start process over with a new problem

As the students are working in groups, write down a few different ways that the kids were solving different problems.  

I’ve included some examples of how the students worked through the different NHT problems and how these problems connect to the CCSS.

1. I’m looking for a ratio table to help support their answer.  When using the ratio table, the students found that the answer was between 7 and 8.  I would ask the students to estimate what they thought there answer might be?  I want to students to realize they would have to go back to the unit rate and start dividing to find their exact answer (6.RP.A.3a and 6.RP.A.3d)

2. Watch this question as some students might want to find the area first and then convert.  If students work the problem out this way, you can bring them back to changing dimensions.  If you multiply the sides x3, what happens to the Area?  (it is x9) (6.RP.A.3d)

3.They may want to convert from yards to miles in this problem which would end up with an answer of .06.  The answer is asking how many times would you have to run the field to get to a mile 1760/120 approx 14  (6.RP.A.3d)

4.This is a multi-step conversion.  This would be one to watch and see how the students solve it.  Again, looking for a ratio table to support this answer (6.RP.A.3a and 6.RP.A.3d)

5.Straight forward conversion, but looking for a ratio table to help support their answer.(6.RP.A.3a and 6.RP.A.3d)

6. This would be a good one to watch too.  See who converts from ounces to pounds or pounds to ounces (better choice).  Second step with this problem is to subtract. (6.RP.3d)

7. This is a conversion and a unit rate problem (6.RP.A.3b and 6.RP.A.3d)

8.  Multi-step problem.  The students will have to decide which conversion to make as the answer does not specifically ask for a unit of measurement.  To logic this out, we would like the students to see that it would make more sense to change the pounds to ounces, then subtract, then change back to the most reasonable answer. (6.RP.A.3d)


I used their partnered discussion to come up with the final discussion for class.  Students could come to the board and model their solution.  Also, if the students were struggling with a certain problem, jot that down too.  You could have the students offer up suggestion as to why the problem went wrong or how they would solve it.   Developing discussion questions ahead of time will bring the activity to a nice close as well as model for students how to construct viable arguments and justify their answer (SMP3).


45 minutes

Quiz – The students will be completing a quiz over the customary system.