Tear down‘European’Signposts

In Sandbach!!

What do you think?

Consider the units of measure you use in school. What type do you focus on?

Consider those you hear spoken about at home. Are they different?

Do you think in miles or kilometres when you think of distances you might travel? How do you measure your height? What about your weight?

Can you convert from metric measurements to imperial?

New signs in Sandbach could be pulled down because they give distances in kilometres instead of miles.

They have sparked protests form some residents who claim they want their signs in “traditional miles not foreign kilometres”.

Imperial or metric…or both?I would prefer to

see the older way. I don't

understand the metric system, I find it confusing.

It’s no good to me. Things like that

don’t mean anything.

We want straight forward miles. I like it. I can

understand kilometres, I'm sure all of the other younger

people can too. We learn about them in school.

1 inch = 2.54cm1 foot = 0.304m1 mile = 1.6km

Salad tomatoes cost £1.80 per pound. How much per kilogram?

Go metric… Yes or no?

1 ounce = 28.35g1 pound = 0.45kg1 stone = 6.35kg

What do you think?

Do you think we should:

- go completely metric?- stay imperial? - keep a mix of both the old way and the metric?

Give reasons for your thinking.

Well she should be using the metric

system these days – shouldn’t she?

That’s not fair!She shouldn’t have to go to court for using measurements we have used for over 100 years – should

she?

An east London market trader has chosen to be tried by a jury in January 2009 for allegedly breaking metric laws.

She is accused of using imperial weighing scales without permission.

What impact do youthink this would haveon people in the UK?

Going all metric would have meant setting a deadline for ending the traditional delivery of pints of milk - and the sale of pints of beer in the UK's pubs.

Every one of the UK's road signs would have had to be changed from miles to kilometres.

Saved! Pints, pounds and miles can stay!

1 ounce = 28.35g1 pound = 0.45kg1 stone = 6.35kg

1 inch = 2.54cm1 foot = 0.304m1 mile = 1.6km

1 pint = 0.57 l1 gallon = 4.5461 l

The UK first made plans to convert to an all-metric system in 1965.

But this hasn’t happened and the European Commission is tired of waiting for the UK to give up imperial measurements and says it can use some of them for as long as it wants.

Up2d8 mathsImperial or metric or both?

Teacher Notes

Up2d8 mathsImperial or metric or both? –Teachers note

Just recently in Sandbach, Cheshire signs have been put up to show the distance to council offices in

kilometres. Many of the local townsfolk have not been happy about this. There has been a long running

battle between the government and traders about the use of imperial and metric measures. Traders were

breaking the law if they used purely imperial measures and faced fines and imprisonment.

In October 2008 a 64 year old lady was facing legal action for weighing vegetables on scales that failed to

follow European Union rules. She decided that she would rather face prosecution than be made to use

metric scales.

While Britain officially adopted the metric system in the 1970s, shortly after decimalisation, for distances and

weights the imperial system is still widely used.

The European Commission has tired of waiting for the UK to give up imperial measurements, and now says

it can use some of them for as long it wants. The pound and the ounce can be used alongside kilogram and

gram measurements for goods sold loose. The pint can be used for draught beer and cider, and milk sold in

returnable bottles. Miles can be used in traffic signs and speed indications, and the troy ounce can be used

for transactions in precious metals.

These two stories provide many possible ideas to develop with the children, that can be easily differentiated

to suit Years 3 to 6, and that also provide excellent opportunities for group work.1st spread: Imperial or

metric or both?

Slide 2: Go metric – yes or no?

Focus on the case of the lady going to court for using imperial measurement scales and ask them to discuss with a friend what they think of the two statements from the children.

Have a class discussion on the question in the other text box.Give opportunities for the children to estimate and measure practically in weight and capacity.

Ideally using fruit or vegetables for the weights.

Ask conversion questions relating to weight in the context of fruit and vegetables e.g. If I had five pounds of potatoes how many kilograms would that be? You could round the amounts to one decimal place or the nearest whole number.

Slide 1: Imperial or metric or both?

Give the children the opportunity to work in mixed ability groups to discuss the questions in the ‘What do you think?’ text box

Ask them to think of as many units of measure as they can. They will surprise you! Even some of the younger children will have heard of various imperial measurements from home. Focus on those that refer to length and demonstrate what some of them look like.

Provide opportunities for the children to compare the imperial measurements of feet and inches with the metric measurements of metres, centimetres and millimetres by estimating and measuring lines of these lengths.

Ask them to convert from one to the other in context, using a calculator if appropriate e.g. How many kilometres is it from Chessington to Cobham if it is 11.2miles?

My friend says it is 457.4km from London to Newcastle upon Tyne. My gran says it is 284.2 miles. They are both right.

Extension - Teachers guide

Focus on the impact of changing all measurements to metric ones and what it would mean to many people e.g. who would fund the expense of changing road signs, what would happen to all those pint glasses people have beer in, what would happen to the jobs of the milk delivery people?

Ask questions which involve converting from one imperial or metric unit to the other and discuss strategies for finding the solution e.g. If 1 gram = 0.035 ounces, how many ounces will be the same as six grams? There are 12 inches in one foot, how many centimetres are the same as one foot?

Copy and cut out some of the statement cards below to give to the children to find out whether they are true or false.

Extra conversion facts

1 gram = 0.0353 oz

1 kilogram =2.2046 lb

1 litre = 1.76 pt

1 millimetre = 0.03937 inch

1 centimetre = 0.3937 inch

1 metre = 3.28 feet

1 kilometre = 0.6214 mile

It is 734.4 miles from Cardiff to Hamburg in Germany. That distance is1468.9km.

Molly used her scales to weigh a melon. The scale showed 3.5kg. Max told her that is the same as 7.2lbs. Max is wrong.

I weigh 9½ stone. The scales at the gym told me that weight in kilograms. I read 59.85. The scales at the gym are right.

Sam put 5 gallons of petrol in his car. The garage charged him for 22.73 litres. They charged him too much.

The container holds three litres of water. Ben said that was the same as 5.28 pints. He is right.