Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 5

Convert from larger to smaller units of measure

I can apply known unit conversions to convert from larger to smaller units of measure.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
New
New
Year 5

Convert from larger to smaller units of measure

I can apply known unit conversions to convert from larger to smaller units of measure.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
View new resources
arrow-right

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. 1 m = 1000 mm
  2. 1 kg = 1,000 g
  3. 1 l = 1,000 ml
  4. 1 km = 1,000 m

Keywords

  • Equivalent - When two or more things have the same value.

  • Convert - To change a value or expression from one form to another.

Common misconception

Some pupils may see the prefix 'milli' and think it is related to 'million'.

Part of the lesson focuses on the etymology of the words and the fact that the prefix 'milli' means 'thousandth'; a millimetre is a thousandth of a litre and a millilitre is one thousandth of a litre. Consider displaying this in your environment.

You may have had previous experience of converting between units multiplicatively - multiplying or dividing by 10, 100 or 1000. Here, a different approach is used, based around partitioning the number. Knowing the key unit conversions, and the multiples thereof, forms the basis.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
How many metres are there in one kilometre?
10
100
Correct answer: 1,000
10,000
Q2.
How many grams are there in one kilogram?
Correct Answer: 1,000, 1000, one thousand
Q3.
How many millilitres are there in one litre?
Correct Answer: 1,000, 1000, one thousand
Q4.
Which of these numbers will you say if you are counting in steps of one thousand from zero?
400
Correct answer: 4,000
4,400
Correct answer: 9,000
Q5.
If each of the circles is worth 1,000, what is the total value?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 7,000, seven thousand, 7000
Q6.
What is the multiple of 1,000 after 9,000?
1,000
9,100
Correct answer: 10,000
1,900

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Convert these kilograms to grams. Altogether, there are ___.
An image in a quiz
400 g
40 g
Correct answer: 4,000 g
4, 400 g
Q2.
Convert these kilometres to metres.
An image in a quiz
500 m
50,000 m
Correct answer: 5,000 m
5 m
Q3.
How many millimetres are there in 7 metres? mm
Correct Answer: 7,000, 7000
Q4.
What are the missing numbers on this number line?
An image in a quiz
10
200
100
Correct answer: 1,000
Correct answer: 2,000
Q5.
Add 1,000 g to the amount shown. g
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 4,000 g, 4000 g, 4,000g, 4000g
Q6.
Izzy weighs her pet cat. The cat has a mass of 2 kg. She weighs her pet dog. The dog has a mass of 6 kg. What is their combined mass in grams? g
Correct Answer: 8,000, 8000 g, 8,000g