4th grade · Math · Unit 12 of 15
Metric Measures
Grams, kilograms, liters and milliliters
What your child practices
Changing between grams and kilograms and between liters and milliliters, understanding kilo, centi and milli, and choosing a sensible unit and tool.
Washington State Learning Standards learning standard: M.4.SR.MD.1 · relative sizes of metric units of mass and capacity
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- 1 m = 100 cm. 1 L = 1000 mL. 1 kg = 1000 g.
- Going to a smaller unit: multiply.
- Going to a bigger unit: divide.
Example: 4 L = ☐ mL 1 L is 1000 mL. 4 × 1000 = 4000. Answer: 4000 mL
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
About how much mass does a bag of sugar have?
- 1 kg
- 1 g
- 100 kg
1 kg
Hint: Use things you know as benchmarks. A paper clip is about 1 g. A liter of milk is 1 L.
Question 2
Which unit is best for the distance between two towns?
- centimeters
- millimeters
- kilometers
kilometers
Hint: Picture the size of the thing. Choose a unit that is not too big or too small.
Question 3
What does the prefix “kilo” mean?
- one thousandth as much
- one hundredth as much
- 1000 times as much
1000 times as much
Hint: A kilometer is 1000 meters.
Question 4
6000 g = kg
6000 g = kg
answer box
6
Hint: 1000 grams make 1 kilogram.
Question 5
About how much does a large bottle of water hold?
- 1 L
- 100 L
- 1 mL
1 L
Hint: Use things you know as benchmarks. A paper clip is about 1 g. A liter of milk is 1 L.
Question 6
3 L = mL
3 L = mL
answer box
3000
Hint: 1 liter is 1000 milliliters.