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B e n c h m a r k e d u c a t i o n c o m p a n y

Themes• Measurement• Science Tools• Experiments

Science Measuring ToolsLevel V/60

Science

Skills & Strategies

Anchor Comprehension Strategy• Identify main idea and

supporting details

Comprehension••• •Make•connections

••• ••Use•graphic•features•to•interpret••information

Word Study/Vocabulary••• •Use•knowledge•of•word•structures•to•

determine•word•meaning

Science Big Idea••• •Measurement•allows•us•to•better••

understand•our•world.•

TEACHER’S GUIDE

Pages 4–6: During Reading: Introduction–Chapter 1 • Model Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections • Model Comprehension Strategy: Main Idea and Supporting Details • Use Knowledge of Word Structures to Determine Word Meaning:

Etymologies

Pages 7–8: During Reading: Chapters 2–4 • Apply Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections • Guide Comprehension Strategy: Main Idea and Supporting Details • Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information: Labeled Photographs

Pages 9–10: During Reading: Chapter 5–Conclusion • Apply Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections • Apply Comprehension Strategy: Main Idea and Supporting Details • Use Knowledge of Word Structures to Determine Word Meaning:

Etymologies

Page 11: After Reading • Administer Posttest • Synthesize Information: Research

D a y

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A c t i v i t i e s

A dd i t i o n a l R e l a t e d R e s o u r c e s

Notable Trade Books for Read-Aloud• Adler, David A. How Tall, How Short,

How Far Away? Holiday House, 1999• Breen, Mark, and Kathleen Friestad.

Kids’ Book of Weather Forecasting: Build a Weather Station, “Read” the Sky and Make Prediction! Ideals Publications, 2000

• Duffy, Trent. The Clock. Simon & Schuster Children’s, 2000.

• Schwartz, David M., and Steven Kellogg. Millions to Measure. HarperCollins Publishers, 2003.

Web Site for Content Information• The BIPM Website http://www.bipm.fr/The BIPM Web site is the home of the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (International Office of Weights and Measures), whose task is to ensure worldwide uniformity of measurements and their traceability to the International System of Units (SI). It includes useful links, a history of the SI, and pictures of the kilogram, the last SI unit defined by an actual object.

C o r e L e s s o n P l a n n i n g G u i d e

Copyright © 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of the guide may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without per-mission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-4108-2588-9

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Lesson at a GlanceBefore Reading (page 3)

• Build Background• Introduce the Book• Administer Preassessment

During Reading (pages 4–10)

Introduction–Chapter 1 (pages 4–6)

• Model Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections

• Set a Purpose for Reading• Discuss the Reading• Model Comprehension Strategy: Identify

Main Idea and Supporting Details• Use Knowledge of Word Structures to

Determine Word Meaning: Etymologies

Chapters 2–4 (pages 7–8)

• Apply Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections

• Set a Purpose for Reading• Discuss the Reading• Guide Comprehension Strategy: Identify

Main Idea and Supporting Details• Use Graphic Features to Interpret

Information: Labeled Photographs

Chapter 5–Conclusion (pages 9–10)

• Apply Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections

• Set a Purpose for Reading• Discuss the Reading• Apply Comprehension Strategy: Identify

Main Idea and Supporting Details• Use Knowledge of Word Structures to

Determine Word Meaning: Etymologies

After Reading (page 11)

• Administer Posttest• Synthesize Information: Research

Writing Workshop (pages 12–13)

• Model the Writing Process: Write a Main Idea/Supporting Details Paragraph

Blackline Masters (pages 14–16)

• Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details (page 14)

• Use Knowledge of Word Structures: Etymologies (page 15)

• Main Idea and Supporting Details (page 16)

Page 3: Before Reading • Build Background • Introduce the Book • Administer Preassessment

The following five-day lesson plan is just one option for incorporating this teacher’s guide into your daily lesson plans.

© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Name ________________________________________ Date __________________

Use Knowledge of Word Structures: EtymologiesDirections: Look at these word benches. Use the information to figure out what each term means. Then check your answers in a dictionary.

1. expand

definition:

ex pandere Latin for Latin for “out” “to spread”

2. archaeology

definition:

archaios ology Greek from Greek for arché meaning “a study or branch “beginning” of knowledge”

3. circumference

definition:

circum ferre Latin for Latin for “around” “to carry”

5. biography

definition:

bios graph Greek for Greek for “life” “writing, recording”

4. semiprecious

definition:

semi pretium Latin for Latin for “half” “price”

Name ________________________________________ Date __________________

Page Main Idea Supporting Details

Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details

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Before ReadingBuild Background • Say: Have you ever stepped on a scale to check your weight?

Do you know how tall you are in feet? In meters? Weight and height are just two examples of measurement. What kinds of things do we measure? Write everything you know about measurement for the next two minutes.

• At the end of two minutes, invite students to share their thoughts about measurement. Make a list of students’ ideas on the board.

• Look over the list and help students identify labels for obvious groupings of ideas or items (for example: weight, height, length, temperature, volume). Create a chart on the board like the one shown.

• Have students categorize the items on the board by deciding which should go under each label. Write each item into the chart.

Introduce the Book • Give students a copy of the book. Have them read the title and

then skim the table of contents.

• Have students look through the book to find a picture that attracts their attention. Ask volunteers to explain what interests them about the picture they chose. Then ask them how they think the picture connects to the topic of the book.

• Explain that the book describes modern measuring tools and their uses and includes measurement activities for each tool.

Administer Preassessment• Have students take Ongoing Assessment #19 on page 74 in the

Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook (Grade 6).

• Score assessments and use the results to determine instruction.

• Keep group assessments in a small-group reading folder. For in-depth analysis, discuss responses with individual students.

Informal Assessment Tips

1. Assess students’ ability to skim.

2. Document informal observations in a folder or notebook.

3. Keep the folder or notebook at the small-group reading table for handy reference.

4. For struggling students, model how to skim, using headings, subheadings, boldfaced words, captions, pictures, and other features in Chapter 1.

© 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC 3

Bag of applesA dog’s weight

How tall I amHow high book shelves are

How hot or cold it is outdoorsHow hot the oven is

Cooking timeThe hour school starts

Ingredients for a recipe

Weight

Height

Temperature

Time

Volume

During Reading: Introduction–Chapter 1

Model Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections

• Use a real-life example of making connections. Say: When I read an article or nonfiction book, I think about what I already know about the topic. This helps me connect what I am reading to my own life. I read a magazine article about astronauts. I already knew that astronauts need to be in top physical shape to go on space expeditions. I also knew that they have to prepare for special conditions in space, such as weightlessness. I noted this information on self-stick notes as I read. It helped me understand the challenges the astronauts in the article faced. You can do the same thing. You can look at the information in a text and make connections between the text’s information and information you already know. We’re going to make connections between information about scientific measurement and what we already know about measurement from using it in our lives.

• Read pages 2–3 aloud. Say: What do I already know about measurement? I know there are different ways to measure things. I know that I can use a clock to measure time, and a thermometer to measure temperature. I know that these measurements give me information I need every day. This knowledge helps me understand how important measurement is to our lives. I can write this information on a self-stick note and put it on the page.

• Read pages 4–5 aloud. Ask: What system of measurement do I use? I measure in units such as hours, inches, and pounds. I know those are part of the customary system in the United States. I also know that people in other parts of the world use the metric system. I can write this information on a self-stick note and put it on the page.

Set a Purpose for Reading • Ask students to read pages 6–9 to learn about measuring length

and distance. As they read, encourage them to write down connections to what they already know about measurements on self-stick notes and place them in the text. Tell them that they will share their connections after reading the chapter.

4 © 2011 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Good readers make connections while they read. Making connections while reading keeps the reader engaged with the text and enhances understanding. Readers make connections to themselves, to other texts, and to the world. Good readers keep track of their connections by using a journal or self-stick notes.

Content InformationShare these facts with your stu-dents:

• The cubit—the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger—is no longer used as a unit of measurement. However, we still use several measurements that were based on parts of the body.

• The foot, which is now equal to 12 inches, was once simply the length of a person’s foot. Since a human foot could vary by several inches, this was not a reliable measure.

• An inch was not the same thing in early times, either. An inch was originally the width of a person’s thumb or the length from the tip of the index finger to its first joint.

• A yard could be one of several things: three times the length of the foot, the distance from the end of an outstretched arm to the tip of the nose, or the distance around a person’s waist.

Minds-On/ Hands-On Activity

1. Have students imagine waking up to a world without standard units of measure. Ask pairs of students to brainstorm problems they might come across in their daily lives.

2. Say: Think of everything you do on a typical day. What could you not do at all, or what might go wrong, if you didn’t have standard measurements? What would happen if, say, everyone suddenly had to rely on cubits?

3. Tell each pair to write a short skit about a day without inches, miles, pounds, and other measurements we take for granted.

4. Have partners perform their skits for the class.

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Old and New BarometersAlthough mercury barometers are very accurate,

they have a couple of flaws. One flaw is the size

of these barometers. Mercury barometers need to

be at least 32 inches tall, which makes them

bulky and inconvenient. Mercury barometers are

also very delicate. Because of these problems,

most weather forecasters do not rely on mercury

barometers anymore. Instead, they use a newer

tool called an aneroid barometer. The word

aneroid means “not using liquid.” Aneroid

barometers are smaller and sturdier than mercury

barometers. Aneroid barometers also have another

advantage. They can record a week’s worth of data.

Mercury barometers can only show the current

air pressure. By giving more information in a

more convenient form, aneroid barometers have

overtaken mercury barometers.

Writing Model


1. Observe students as they participate in the group writing project. Identify those who need help during the various stages of the writing process. Jot down notes in your journal.

2. During conferences, keep notes on each student’s writing behaviors. Ask yourself: What evidence do I have to support the conclusion that this student is writing well or poorly? What can I do about it?

3. Suggest that struggling students work with you to brainstorm questions that could be asked and answered in a paragraph.


Writing Workshop

Teaching Tips: Process Writing Steps

1. Have students independently write a first draft using the web they made.

2. After students complete their paragraphs, have them revise and edit with the help of a classroom buddy.

3. Conference with each student following the first revision and editing.

4. Ask them to make any additional changes and create a final copy of their paragraphs.

5. Invite students to share their paragraphs with their classmates.

Mercury barometers are bulky and

delicate.

Aneroid barometers are sturdy.

Aneroid barometers are compact.

Aneroid barometers can record a week’s

worth of data.

Why Were Mercury Barometers

Replaced?

Old and New Barometers

Model the Writing Process: Write a Main Idea/Supporting Details Paragraph• Remind students that they looked for main ideas and

supporting details as they read the book Science Measuring Tools. Sometimes the main ideas were stated directly in a topic sentence. Sometimes they had to be inferred or put together from the information on the page.

• On chart paper or the board, make a web as shown. Say: After I read the book, I had a question about barometers. I know mercury barometers were popular. Why are other barometers used more often today?

• Use the writing model to show how to use the web information to write a paragraph. Point out that the central question will become the main idea of the paragraph. The surrounding phrases will be supporting details.

• Have students think of a question that comes to mind after reading Science Measuring Tools and write a paragraph that answers it with supporting details.

Discuss the Reading • Ask students to share the connections they made with the

information in the text.

• Discuss with students how connecting with their own lives and knowledge helped them understand the text more fully.

• Ask: What information did you already have about ways of measuring? What information did the text add to your knowledge?

Model Comprehension Strategy: Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details• Say: As I read nonfiction, I look for the author’s main ideas about

the topic. I search for details that the author uses to support those main ideas. I know that main ideas often appear in the topic sentence of a paragraph. Other times, I must use what I read to guess or infer the main idea. If I can reduce several pages of text to a few main ideas, I can understand and remember what I’ve read much more easily. It helps me prepare to teach about the topic. If I were your age, it would help me prepare to take a test on the topic, too.

• Pass out the graphic organizer “Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details” (blackline master, page 14 of this guide). You may want to make a chart-size copy of the graphic organizer or use a transparency.

• Explain that as students read, they will complete the first four rows together. The last three rows will be completed independently.

• Have students return to Chapter 1 and follow along while you show them how to locate main ideas and details. Write the information on the graphic organizer as you find it. Say: As I read, I’ll keep the title of the book in mind. I’ll look for main ideas that have to do with science measuring tools.

• Reread page 3 and say: Page 3 describes the history of measurement. The first paragraph contains a main idea. It relates to the title of the book. The author writes that measuring something has not always been as easy as it is today. Write the main idea in the chart. Continue: Several details support the main idea. Write them and say them aloud.

Informal Assessment Tips1. Watch students as they make

connections in their journals or notebooks.

2. In a folder or notebook, jot down what you see each student doing.

3. Document students who are not using this metacognitive strategy.

4. Remind students that making connections helps them focus on the author’s reasons for writing and helps them better understand the main idea.




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People measured with body parts. They came up with different measurements. There were no standard measurements.

Measuring has not always been easy.

Introduction–Chapter 1


• Read page 8 and say: The main idea on this page, the one that best relates to the title of the book, is that rulers are a tool for measuring length in the customary system in the United States. The details relate to this main idea. Each detail tells more about rulers. Write the main idea and details in the chart. Say: These details answer the question “What units of length do rulers measure?”

• Tell students to search for main ideas and supporting details as they continue to read the book. They should look for details that answer the questions who, what, where, when, and how.

Use Knowledge of Word Structures to Determine Word Meaning: Etymologies• Have students find the word centimeter on page 6. Say: You can

use clues to determine this word’s meaning. Do you know any other words with the root meter? (odometer, perimeter) The root meter means “measure,” and a meter is also a standard unit of measure. If you knew that the word part centi means “hundred,” or “one hundredth part,” what would you guess a centimeter is? (a measurement that is one hundredth of a meter) Draw this word bench on the board:

• Explain: A word’s etymology is the history of that word. Centimeter comes from the root word meter and the word part, or prefix, centi. Centi is a Latin word meaning “hundred.” It is also a French prefix meaning “one hundredth part.” The root word, meter, is a Greek word meaning “measure,” and is also a standard unit of measure. Knowing the history of a word can help you understand its meaning. If you don’t recognize the word parts from words you already know, you can consult a dictionary to learn about the word’s etymology.

• Ask students to find kilometer on page 9. Say: You now know what the root meter means. If you knew that kilo was a Greek word meaning “thousand,” as well as a French prefix meaning “one thousand,” what would you guess a kilometer is? (a measurement equal to one thousand meters) Draw this word bench on the board:



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centimetercentiFrench for

“one hundredth part,” from the Latin word

for “hundred”

meterGreek for“measure”

definition: a measurement that is one

hundredth of a meter

kilometerkilo

French for“one thousand,” from

the Greek word for “thousand”

meterGreek for“measure”

definition: a measurement equal to

one thousand meters


Rulers measure length.

Most rulers are one foot long. One foot contains 12 inches.

After ReadingAdminister Posttest• Have students take Ongoing Assessment #20 on page 76 in the

Comprehension Strategy Assessment Handbook (Grade 6).

Synthesize Information: Research• Tell students that throughout history, mathematicians such

as Euclid, Archimedes, and Sir Isaac Newton have made breakthroughs in the area of measurement.

• Ask students to write a biographical sketch about a famous mathematician, emphasizing the person’s work with measurements. Instruct students to begin their sketch by explaining a cause-and-effect relationship in the person’s work. Review that cause-and-effect relationships tell something that happened and explain why it happened.

• Provide class time for students to share their sketches with the class.



1. Score assessments and determine if more instruction is needed for this strategy.

2. Keep group assessments in a small-group reading folder.

3. Look closely at students’ responses. Ask yourself: Why might this student have answered the question in this manner? For in-depth analysis, discuss responses with individual students.

4. Use posttests to document growth over time, for parent/teacher conferences, or for your own records.

Chapter 5–Conclusion

Use Knowledge of Word Structures to Determine Word Meaning: Etymologies• Remind students that understanding a word’s history and parts can

help them define the word when they come across it in a text.

• Have students turn to page 22 and locate the word barometer. Say: You know the root meter means “measure,” and it can also be a specific unit of measure. The word part baro– means “weight.” In Chapter 6, you learned about weather measurements. Do you remember what a barometer is? (a tool for measuring air pressure) Record this in a word bench if you wish.

• Have students complete the blackline master “Use Knowledge of Word Structures: Etymologies” on page 15.




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Informal Assessment Tips 1. Watch students as they make

connections. Ask yourself: How have the students progressed with making connections? What problems are they still having? What questions pop into my head regarding what I see them doing?

2. Watch students as they complete the graphic organizer. Ask yourself: Who is still struggling with this strategy? What are they doing or not doing that makes me think they are struggling? How can I help them?

3. Jot down your thoughts in your folder or notebook.




Gravity, important to our survival, is measured in pounds.

A graduated cylinder measures volume.

Temperature tells how hot or cold it is and is measured in Fahrenheit or Celsius.

Different tools measure different elements of weather.

Barometers can help predict weather.

1. In 1793, the French began using a new system of measurement based on the meter.

2. The system was called the metric system; the meter was supposed to be

one-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator.

3. They were used to their old system and did not want to spend time

converting measurements in their heads.

1. expand: to open up or increase

2. archaeology: the study of the people or life of ancient times

3. circumference: the boundary line of a circle

4. semiprecious: having some value

5. biography: the written record of a person’s life

Force of gravity keeps us on Earth. Weight is expressed in pounds or newtons.

A graduated cylinder is tall and thin. Some show both metric and U.S. customary units.

Temperature is measured in degrees. The U.S. customary system uses degrees Fahrenheit. The metric system uses degrees Celsius.You can measure rainfall with a rain gauge. You can measure air pressure with a barometer.

Low air pressure means there may be rain or storms. Rising air pressure means the air will clear.


Apply Comprehension Strategy: Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details• Review the graphic organizer with students and explain that you want

them to identify main ideas and supporting details on pages 20, 22, and 23.

• Ask if they have any questions before they begin.

• Monitor their work and intervene if they have difficulty.

• Discuss students’ responses together.

• For more practice, have students complete the blackline master “Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details” on page 16.

Chapters 2–4

Apply Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections• Have students look at their journals to review the connections

they made yesterday. Ask them to explain how making connections helped them understand the text. Discuss their responses.

• Say: Today we’re going to make connections between the text and other books we have read.

• Read aloud page 13 while students follow along. Say: As I read about weight and gravity, I can connect the information to other reading I have done. I read a book about Sir Isaac Newton. He developed an important law about gravity. He began by studying how the moon orbits around Earth. He knew there must be some kind of force at work to make the moon travel in a circle rather than a straight line. He may have hit on the idea of gravity when he watched an apple drop from a tree.

• Ask students to describe any connections they can make with books they have read that describe or mention ideas related to measurement.

Set a Purpose for Reading • Have students read the rest of Chapters 2–4 to learn about other

methods of scientific measurement. Remind students to jot on self-stick notes any connections they make with previous readings and to put the notes next to the section in the text that connects with them.

Discuss the Reading • Ask students to share their connections. Ask how their

connections helped them understand the text.

• Discuss with students what kinds of measuring tools they use in their daily lives. Ask: How do you measure your weight? How do you measure liquids for a recipe? What other types of measuring tools do you use?


Content InformationShare this information with students:

• The U.S. standard unit for weight is the pound, which contains 16 ounces. Did you ever wonder why lb. is the abbreviation for pound? It comes from Latin. The Roman pound was called a libra, so it makes sense that lb. would be its abbreviation.

• The Roman libra was divided into 12 parts, called ounces. The word ounce means “a twelfth part.” Even though the standard U.S. pound is divided into 16 parts, these parts are still called ounces.

• The U.S. system also uses something confusing called a “troy pound,” which does contain only 12 ounces. Troy pounds and troy ounces are used to measure gold and other precious metals.


1. Write the following ingredients for trail mix on the board:

4 cups cereal 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup yogurt-covered peanuts 1/4 cup almonds 1/2 cup shredded coconut

2. Review with students how to convert U.S. measurements to metric units.

3. Have pairs of students work together to convert the ingredients from U.S. to metric measurements. Then have them write the new version of the recipe neatly on blank paper.

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Chapters 2–4

Informal Assessment Tips1. Watch students as they work

on the main idea and supporting details chart.

2. In your folder, jot down what you observe.

3. Ask yourself: Are students having problems with this strategy? If so, what are the problems? Are students mastering this strategy? If so, how do I know?

4. For struggling students, review the strategy using the comprehension strategy poster. Use both sides of the poster if necessary.

Guide Comprehension Strategy: Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details• Remind students that the main idea of a paragraph, page, or

chapter is the most important idea the author wants the reader to know. Supporting details are details that give more information about that main idea. They may answer questions such as who, what, when, where, and how much or how many.

• Have a volunteer read aloud the first paragraph on page 13. Ask: What would you expect the rest of the chapter to be about? (measuring weight) How do you know? What would you expect to learn about measuring mass? (methods and tools used to measure mass) What is the main idea of this paragraph? (Gravity, important to our survival, is measured in pounds.) What details from this paragraph support the main idea? (The force of gravity keeps us on Earth. Weight is expressed in pounds.)

• Say: Chapters usually contain more than one main idea. Have students turn to page 18. Ask: What is the main idea of the first paragraph? What are some details that support the main idea? Use the graphic organizer on this page for suggested answers.

Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information: Labeled Photographs• Have students turn to the labeled photographs on pages 10 and

11. Point out that these photos show two types of balances. Explain that photographs can inform by showing, rather than by telling, as text does. Sometimes a photograph can inform more fully than a text explanation.

• Ask: What do you learn from these photos that you do not learn from the text? (Possible answer: what two types of balances look like, which helps you understand how they work)




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Gravity, important to our survival, is measured in pounds.

A graduated cylinder measures volume.

Force of gravity keeps us on Earth. Weight is expressed in pounds or newtons.

A graduated cylinder is tall and thin. Some show both metric and U.S. customary units.


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Chapter 5–Conclusion

Apply Metacognitive Strategy: Make Connections• Have students look at their journals to review the connections they

wrote down during the last lesson. Discuss how the connections helped them with their reading. Remind them that good readers make connections between the text and their own lives to better understand the text.

• Say: Today we are going to make connections between the book we are reading and the world.

• Read page 29 aloud to students as they follow along. Ask: Have you ever chosen what to wear based on the weather report? How do you decide what to wear based on this information? Discuss students’ responses. Point out that the temperature and other weather conditions affect what people do (play a sports game, attend an outdoor event, carry an umbrella to work, avoid a dangerous storm or lightning).

• Encourage students to use self-stick notes to write connections they make between the text and the world and to put the notes beside the corresponding sections.

Set a Purpose for Reading • Have students silently read the last section of the book, from Chapter

5 through the Conclusion. Ask them to write down at least one more connection between the text and the world as they read. Remind them to use etymologies to help them define words they do not know.

Discuss the Reading • Ask students to share their connections with the class. Discuss how

the connections help them understand the text.

• Ask: Which types of workers in the United States frequently use the metric system? (scientists) What do you think is the benefit of using the same measuring system used by other scientists around the world?

Content InformationDuring the late 1800s, before measuring tools were used to predict weather, forecasters often depended on folklore and proverbs. Examples:

• Clear moon, frost soon.

• When deer are in gray coat in October, expect a severe winter.

• Much noise made by rats and mice indicates rain.

• If rain falls during an east wind, it will continue a full day.

• When the walls are more than unusually damp, rain is expected.


1. Have small groups of students make water barometers using the following materials: glass with straight sides, plastic ruler, tape, one foot of clear plastic tubing, water, food coloring, and clay.

2. Place the ruler in the glass and tape it to one side. Then tape the plastic tube onto the ruler, making sure the tube does not touch the bottom of the glass.

3. Fill the glass halfway with water, add two drops of food coloring, and mix well.

4. Using the tube like a straw, draw water up to fill two-thirds of the tube, trap the water in the tube with the tongue, and cap the end of the tube with clay.

5. Record the height of the water in the tube every day for ten days, noting the relationship between changes in the weather and water level.

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Name ________________________________________ Date __________________


Identify Main Idea and Supporting DetailsDirections: Read the passage. Then answer the questions that follow.

The Metric System

In 1793, when Napoleon was emperor, the French government began using a system of standards called the metric system. The new system was based on the metre, or meter. The meter was supposed to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator, measured on a straight line running through Paris.

The metric system is logical. All units in the system are in multiples of ten. For example, there are ten decimeters in a meter, and one hundred centimeters in a meter. The system also has volume, liquid, and weight measures.

When the French government announced its new system, the French people did not like it right away. French people were comfortable thinking in terms of inches, pounds, and pints. Why should they do mental arithmetic to convert one quantity into another? After nineteen years of pushing the system, Napoleon finally gave up on it. However, in 1837, France gave metrics another try. This time it stuck. Today the metric system is used by almost every country in the world.

1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph? Write it as a sentence.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. What are two details that support the main idea of the first paragraph?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why were people slow to use the metric system?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Documents

Level V/60 Science Measuring Tools - Amazon S3€¦ · Kids’ Book of Weather Forecasting: Build a Weather Station, “Read” the Sky . and Make Prediction! Ideals Publications,