Plans are under way to redefine the International System of Units (SI) around 2018. The new SI specifies the values of certain physical constants to define units. This article explains the new SI in order to provide a resource for high school teachers as well as for advanced students already familiar with the pre-2018 SI.

This paper reports results of a design experiment regarding young children's concepts of mass measurement. The research built on an earlier study in which a framework of "growth points" in early mathematics learning and a related, task-based, one-to-one interview to assess children's understanding of the measurement of mass…

Suggestions are made for teaching units of length, area, volume, capacity, and mass along with rules for correct punctuation and spelling. A number of learning devices adapted from normal business practices are listed. (TA)

The metric system is almost upon us. What progress is being made in converting curricula? (Editor)

Constructing model hot air balloons is an activity that captures the imaginations of students, enabling teachers to present required content to minds that are open to receive it. Additionally, there are few activities that lend themselves to integrating so much content across subject areas. In this article, the authors describe how they have…

This booklet is written for the non-technical person and is oriented around the needs of everyday life. The relative size of metric units of measure is illustrated through common and familiar objects. This informal approach provides an introduction to units of distance measure, volume, weight, and temperature in the metric system. Part II of this…

Before introducing the metric system, the author spends a week having his class use arbitrary and exotic measuring methods, so that they learn to appreciate the need for metrics as a common standard of measurement. (SJL)

Examines released metric items from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the 3rd and 4th grade results. Recommends refocusing instruction on the metric system to improve student performance in measurement. (KHR)

An integrated and gradual approach to teaching the metric system is suggested, as opposed to presenting the entire system at once. (MP)

The document offers guidelines for teaching metric measurement to educable mentally retarded (EMR) children. Following a section describing the metric system is an outline of learning characteristics of EMR students. Subsequent sections address methods for teaching linear, weight, and liquid measurement. Stressed is the need for concreteness,…

A set of simple directions is presented to help teachers decide which objectives to pursue and which methods to use in teaching the metric system. (MP)

Instruction of linear measurement skills to first and second graders is found to be more effective when taught in a manipulative context than in a graphic context. No differences are observed between manipulative and abstract instructional methods. (JMF)