When do you teach the metric system?

[Surfside Academy]

I was reading something recently encouraging the teaching of the metric system from early on (I'm assuming they meant the grammar stage.) The writer was discussing the difficulty many students have when they reach advanced math & science because they do not have a strong foundation in the metric system. She strongly encouraged parents to teach the metric system from the beginning.

 

I realized that I hadn't ever considered when to begin metrics. My son is almost 8 so I wanted to check with the Hive and get your feedback. What have been your experiences w/ teaching the metric system? When did you begin? Can younger students understand the concepts or will they be confused with learning 2 systems? Finally...what program did you use? Thanks for the input!

[Elinor Everywhere]

What have been your experiences w/ teaching the metric system? When did you begin? Can younger students understand the concepts or will they be confused with learning 2 systems? Finally...what program did you use? Thanks for the input!

 

My kids are using Singapore & CLE, and both teach the metric system. From personal experience living (and traveling) abroad, I wouldn't teach "3 yards is about a meter". Just teach using metric tools such as metric rulers and measuring cups and they'll get a feel for it.

[hsmom]

I read something like that. I also read that it is easier for them to understand the metric system. I am teaching my children both of them from early on. I don't have a program I use or anything. So, far it is not confusing. I just combine it all as one. So, as far as they know it all goes together.

[Greta]

We've been learning both the metric and US systems concurrently, and this doesn't seem to confuse my dd at all (she's 8). The metric system is so much easier to understand and master that I think any kid old enough to learn the US system is perfectly capable of learning the metric system. She fully understands that it's just two different ways of measuring the same things, and it doesn't seem to befuddle her in the slightest. She can tell you how many centimeters are in a foot and other conversions like that too. But I've never taught her the conversions -- she figured them out on her own. But when she measures something with a ruler, I simply ask her for the answer in both inches and centimeters. When we talk about the temperature, we measure it in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. So she's just picking it up very naturally.

[Jenny in Atl]

From the start, we do them simultaneously, and I have not found it to be a problem, causing any confusion.

[In The Great White North]

Although, she had seen (and used) it in Europe and with swimming, I formally taught it with decimals in 5th grade (Waldorf schedule). She can measure with it easily but converting (eg. from centimeters to meters) is a challenge.

 

I tried to introduce cancelling units with fractions but it didn't work. My older dd(14) did the conversions and unit cancelling in 7th grade in Switzerland this year, where they, obviously, only use metric.

[nmoira]

From the beginning. Our larger focus is on the metric system.

[Snickerdoodle]

From the beginning. I am only teaching metric system.

[elegantlion]

We use Singapore's primary math and it is intergrated. I find the metric much easier to teach.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

We use Singapore math US edition so the metric system is taught concurrently from the beginning. It hasn't caused any problems here.

[mcconnellboys]

We do it through Singapore math.

[H0MEFree]

We also use Singapore and it is part of the program. I love it!

[Ellie]

Only when it would come up in our math materials, or if it became necessary to know it, in which case I would probably not bother with learning conversions.

[Leila]

It's part of our Math program too. :001_smile: