Education Resources on the Metric System (SI)

Credit: NIST

This collection of resources can be used to enrich classroom curriculum and reinforce student learning. These resources are helpful to students as they become familiar with the metric system and learn more about SI basics. This site has numerous educational materials published by NIST that can be downloaded and freely reproduced. Contact the TheSI [at] nist.gov (NIST Metric Program) regarding handouts available in bulk so that each student can receive a copy, such as NIST SP 365, a laminated Metric Conversion Card, which has an 8 cm rule on one edge. Metric rulers are available from many retail vendors, which can be identified by using search terms such as "metric rule," "meter stick," or "metric stick."

Resources

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Classroom Lesson Plans

Credit: E. Tiesinga, K. Dill, D. Newell/NIST

• Top 10 Tips for Teaching the Metric System: Explore these ideas for effective implementation. Educators are encouraged to frequently bring the SI into their classrooms.
• League of SI Superheroes Video Companion Worksheets: Lesson-ready worksheets and teacher keys used to check comprehension after watching the videos.
• Writing with SI (Metric System) Units: A targeted resource for science and language arts teachers to help students master correct prefix abbreviation usage, sentence style, and technical punctuation.
• SI Base Units Relationships Poster (SP 1247): A highly technical, advanced visual chart perfect for high school or college classrooms showing how derived units connect mathematically to the 7 base units.

Teacher Kits & Professional Development

Credit: NIST

• SI Teachers Kit: U.S. educators can obtain a free set of metric education resources for your classroom by contacting TheSI [at] nist.gov (TheSI[at]nist[dot]gov) (include your name, school, subject, grade level, phone number, and mailing address).
• Professional Development: Educators are invited to attend Metric Program technical training and professional development courses. Explore the Calendar of Events to identify currently scheduled learning sessions, typically designed for 90-minute time blocks (or less).
• Metric Program Training: Professional development and technical training courses designed to help educators confidently integrate the metric system into their curriculums.
• SI Education and Training: A central digital hub offering free educational webinars, seminars, and resource packages designed for professional development.
• Teach the New SI: A professional development resource mapping out the massive historical shift to the quantum-based metric system, complete with curriculum suggestions for high school and college STEM classes.
• NIST Summer Institute for Middle School Science Teachers: A two-week workshop for middle school science and math teachers featuring hands-on activities, lectures, tours, and visits with NIST scientists and engineers in their laboratories.

Vocational Training & Career

• Professional Development: Educators are invited to attend Metric Program technical training and professional development courses. Explore the Calendar of Events to identify currently scheduled learning sessions, typically designed for 90-minute time blocks (or less).
• Leader's Guide for Conducting a Metric Usage Seminar - PDF: This document was created by the U.S. Metric Board with the purpose of providing background and tools to conduct a metric usage seminar based on hands-on learning opportunities for the participants. 
• Measuring Up to the Task: A guide covering global legal metrology (measurement standards) and commercial regulatory training programs used by legal, science, and trade fields.
• Weighing My Career as a Metrologist: A career exploration narrative highlighting women in STEM and the training required to work as an official state or industry metric device calibration inspector.
• How It’s Measured: Calibrating Tape Measures: A legal metrology training resource explaining how calibration technicians ensure industrial and consumer measuring tools remain standardized.
• Metric Occupational Training Workbooks: A highly diverse library of curriculum workbooks showing how the metric system applies directly to careers in construction, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, art, and retail trade.

Policy & Recognition

• National Position Statements and Resolutions. Metric system (SI) knowledge, skills, and abilities are critical education elements and measurement science is essential for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. Learn more about U.S. professional education organization positions on teaching the SI with these examples.
  • National Association of Academies of Science (NAAS) - Adopt and Implement the Metric System in the United States - October 2012 - PDF
  • National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) - The Metric System - July 2015 - PDF
  • National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) - Use of the Metric System - Adopted January 1999, Reaffirmed February 2016
  • National Education Association (NEA) - Resolution B-57. Metric System (1969, 1996). The National Education Association believes in the adop­tion of the International System of Units (SI metric system). The Association advocates that the SI system be taught at all educational levels.
• U.S. Metric Association-National Metric Awards: The U.S. Metric Association (USMA) offers two awards to increase awareness and usage of the International System of Units (SI) in the United States. Applicants are asked to explain their efforts to promote the SI in the United States

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K-2

• Estimating How Big: The Metric Estimation Game: A gamified learning activity focused on building physical communication and measurement guessing skills.
• Metric Recipes: Cooking and baking using a kitchen scale are fun ways to build metric system abilities and apply measurement techniques. This recipe series is ideal for both new and experienced chefs.
• Meet the Measurement League: A fun introduction to the seven SI base units through superhero characters that represent each measurement and their unique scientific powers.
• Everyday Estimation: A practical primer providing easy mental strategies to gauge and approximate everyday length, volume, mass, and temperature.
• Becoming Familiar with SI: A core desktop reference guide highlighting quick metric benchmarks, everyday measurement sizes, and a brief glance at nanotechnology.
• SI Units:
  • SI Unit: Length - meter (m): Access the definition of the meter, meter FAQs, information about Meter Man, and other length related resources.
  • SI Unit: Time - second (s): Access the definition of the second, time FAQs, information about Professor Second, and other time-centric and SI resources.
  • SI Unit: Mass - kilogram (kg): Learn the definition and interesting facts about the kilogram, discover related resources and meet Monsieur Kilogram, an SI Superhero!

3-5

• Estimating How Big: The Metric Estimation Game: A gamified learning activity focused on building physical communication and measurement guessing skills.
• Metric Recipes: Cooking and baking using a kitchen scale are fun ways to build metric system abilities and apply measurement techniques. This recipe series is ideal for both new and experienced chefs.
• NIST SI Measurement System Chart (2021) is a colorful chart explaining the 7 base units of the SI, prefix symbols, and features the Measurement League: Guardians of the SI. SI Prefix symbols are featured in the chart and used to represent smaller or larger units by factors that are powers of 10. Submit hard copy requests to TheSI [at] nist.gov (TheSI[at]nist[dot]gov). Chart dimensions: 216 mm by 279 mm (8.5 in by 11 in).
• Meet the Measurement League: A fun introduction to the seven SI base units through superhero characters that represent each measurement and their unique scientific powers.
• Becoming Familiar with SI: A core desktop reference guide highlighting quick metric benchmarks, everyday measurement sizes, and a brief glance at nanotechnology.
• Everyday Estimation: A practical primer providing easy mental strategies to gauge and approximate everyday length, volume, mass, and temperature.
• SI Units:
  • SI Unit: Length - meter (m): Access the definition of the meter, meter FAQs, information about Meter Man, and other length related resources.
  • SI Unit: Time - second (s): Access the definition of the second, time FAQs, information about Professor Second, and other time-centric and SI resources.
  • SI Unit: Mass - kilogram (kg): Learn the definition and interesting facts about the kilogram, discover related resources and meet Monsieur Kilogram, an SI Superhero!
  • SI Unit: Temperature - kelvin (K): Learn the definition of the kelvin and how to covert temperature between Fahrenheit, Celsius and Kelvin. Common temperature reference points and a Celsius temperature poem are provided too! Also get information about the SI Superhero Dr. Kelvin.
• Metric in Sports: Measurement plays a big part in providing a level playing field for all athletes. Officials, athletes, and spectators depend on accurate measurements to establish new performance records.
  • Metric in Sports: Winter Games Fast Facts: Learn how metric units are used to measure Winter Games sports, from race distances to equipment specifications.
  • Metric in Sports: Summer Games Fast Facts: Explore real-world metric measurements used across Summer Games sports, including distances, weights, dimensions, and timing.
  • Metric in Sports: Track and Field: A sports-centric breakdown detailing exact metric measurements used for field distances, lane lengths, and equipment weights.
  • Metric in Sports: Bicycling:  Explore educational resources to learn how the International System of Units (SI) measurements are used within bicycling. Bicycling competitive events include track cycling, road cycling, mountain biking, and BMX.

5-8

• Estimating How Big: The Metric Estimation Game: A gamified learning activity focused on building physical communication and measurement guessing skills.
• Metric Recipes: Cooking and baking using a kitchen scale are fun ways to build metric system abilities and apply measurement techniques. This recipe series is ideal for both new and experienced chefs.
• SI Base Units Relationships Poster: NIST Special Publication (SP) 1247 is a one-page color poster that maps the relationship from SI (metric) base units to SI derived units. Teachers - post this in your classroom! Students - hang this colorful poster in your room! Scientists - enjoy mapping where derived units come from.
• NIST SI Measurement System Chart (2021) is a colorful chart explaining the 7 base units of the SI, prefix symbols, and features the Measurement League: Guardians of the SI. SI Prefix symbols are featured in the chart and used to represent smaller or larger units by factors that are powers of 10. Submit hard copy requests to TheSI [at] nist.gov (TheSI[at]nist[dot]gov). Chart dimensions: 216 mm by 279 mm (8.5 in by 11 in).
• Meet the Measurement League: A fun introduction to the seven SI base units through superhero characters that represent each measurement and their unique scientific powers.
• Becoming Familiar with SI: A core desktop reference guide highlighting quick metric benchmarks, everyday measurement sizes, and a brief glance at nanotechnology.
• Everyday Estimation: A practical primer providing easy mental strategies to gauge and approximate everyday length, volume, mass, and temperature.
• Unit Conversion: Unit conversion is a multi-step process that involves multiplication or division by a numerical factor, selection of the correct number of significant digits, and rounding. 
• HDYMI Series:
  • HDYMI: How Do You Ensure That a Tape Measure Is Accurate?: You need to measure length accurately to do things like make a dress, build a house, survey a plot of land, or determine if the home team made a first down on the football field. These length measurements and many others are often made with the help of a measuring tape. 
• SI Unit:
  • SI Unit: Length - meter (m): Access the definition of the meter, meter FAQs, information about Meter Man, and other length related resources.
  • SI Unit: Time - second (s): Access the definition of the second, time FAQs, information about Professor Second, and other time-centric and SI resources.
  • SI Unit: Mass - kilogram (kg): Learn the definition and interesting facts about the kilogram, discover related resources and meet Monsieur Kilogram, an SI Superhero!
  • SI Unit: Temperature - kelvin (K): Learn the definition of the kelvin and how to covert temperature between Fahrenheit, Celsius and Kelvin. Common temperature reference points and a Celsius temperature poem are provided too! Also get information about the SI Superhero Dr. Kelvin.
• Metric in Sports: Measurement plays a big part in providing a level playing field for all athletes. Officials, athletes, and spectators depend on accurate measurements to establish new performance records.
  • Metric in Sports: Winter Games Fast Facts: Learn how metric units are used to measure Winter Games sports, from race distances to equipment specifications.
  • Metric in Sports: Summer Games Fast Facts: Explore real-world metric measurements used across Summer Games sports, including distances, weights, dimensions, and timing.
  • Metric in Sports: Track and Field: A sports-centric breakdown detailing exact metric measurements used for field distances, lane lengths, and equipment weights.
  • Metric in Sports: Bicycling:  Explore educational resources to learn how the International System of Units (SI) measurements are used within bicycling. Bicycling competitive events include track cycling, road cycling, mountain biking, and BMX.

9+

• Estimating How Big: The Metric Estimation Game: A gamified learning activity focused on building physical communication and measurement guessing skills.
• Metric Recipes: Cooking and baking using a kitchen scale are fun ways to build metric system abilities and apply measurement techniques. This recipe series is ideal for both new and experienced chefs.
• NIST SI Measurement System Chart (2021) is a colorful chart explaining the 7 base units of the SI, prefix symbols, and features the Measurement League: Guardians of the SI. SI Prefix symbols are featured in the chart and used to represent smaller or larger units by factors that are powers of 10. Submit hard copy requests to TheSI [at] nist.gov (TheSI[at]nist[dot]gov). Chart dimensions: 216 mm by 279 mm (8.5 in by 11 in).
• SI Base Units Relationships Poster: NIST Special Publication (SP) 1247 is a one-page color poster that maps the relationship from SI (metric) base units to SI derived units. Teachers - post this in your classroom! Students - hang this colorful poster in your room! Scientists - enjoy mapping where derived units come from.
• Meet the Measurement League: A fun introduction to the seven SI base units through superhero characters that represent each measurement and their unique scientific powers.
• NIST Metric Conversion Card (SP 365): This interactive educational activity offers a fun way for students to enhance their understanding of the International System of Units (SI), including the Defining Constants, Base Units, Derived Units with Special Names, and Prefixes. 
• Unit Conversion: Unit conversion is a multi-step process that involves multiplication or division by a numerical factor, selection of the correct number of significant digits, and rounding. 
• Going the Distance on National Tape Measure Day: An article exploring how metrology labs achieve extreme accuracy using tools from laser microscopes to standard calibrated tapes.
• Busting Myths about the Metric System: The article celebrates the anniversary of the Metric Conversion Act, which was signed on December 23, 1975, by President Gerald R. Ford and takes the opportunity to dispel common misconceptions about the U.S. relationship with the metric system. 
• Becoming Familiar with SI:  Learning the SI (International System of Units, commonly known as the metric system) requires developing just a few reference points - a general indicator you can use to orient yourself. Reference points help build that innate understanding of "how much." The metric system is a complete measurement system made up of 7 base units. Once you are familiar the SI basics you are ready to go!
• Everyday Estimation: A practical primer providing easy mental strategies to gauge and approximate everyday length, volume, mass, and temperature.
• SI (Metric) Prefixes: A core mathematical study aid mapping out the powers of ten, scale shifts, and negative/positive exponents from micro- to giga- levels.
• HDYMI Series:
  • HDYMI: How Do You Measure a Second?: A "How Do You Measure It" deep-dive article tracing the history of keeping time, from historic sundials and quartz to modern cesium atomic clocks and relativity.
  • HDYMI: How Do You Ensure That a Tape Measure Is Accurate?: You need to measure length accurately to do things like make a dress, build a house, survey a plot of land, or determine if the home team made a first down on the football field. These length measurements and many others are often made with the help of a measuring tape. 
• SI Unit:
  • SI Unit: Length - meter (m): Access the definition of the meter, meter FAQs, information about Meter Man, and other length related resources.
  • SI Unit: Time - second (s): Access the definition of the second, time FAQs, information about Professor Second, and other time-centric and SI resources.
  • SI Unit: Mass - kilogram (kg): Learn the definition and interesting facts about the kilogram, discover related resources and meet Monsieur Kilogram, an SI Superhero!
  • SI Unit: Temperature - kelvin (K): Learn the definition of the kelvin and how to covert temperature between Fahrenheit, Celsius and Kelvin. Common temperature reference points and a Celsius temperature poem are provided too! Also get information about the SI Superhero Dr. Kelvin.
  • SI Unit: Luminous intensity - candela (cd): Discover the definition of the candela (cd) as well as links to resources about light, brightness, vision and the electromagnetic spectrum. Also meet Candela, a SI Superhero!
  • SI Unit: Electric current - ampere (A): Access the definition of the ampere, get information about the SI Superhero Ms. Ampere, and other electric current and SI resources.
  • SI Unit: Amount of Substance - mole (mol): Access the definition of the mole, information about the SI Superhero the Mole, and other mole-centric and SI resources.
• Metric in Sports: Measurement plays a big part in providing a level playing field for all athletes. Officials, athletes, and spectators depend on accurate measurements to establish new performance records.
  • Metric in Sports: Winter Games Fast Facts: Learn how metric units are used to measure Winter Games sports, from race distances to equipment specifications.
  • Metric in Sports: Summer Games Fast Facts: Explore real-world metric measurements used across Summer Games sports, including distances, weights, dimensions, and timing.
  • Metric in Sports: Track and Field: A sports-centric breakdown detailing exact metric measurements used for field distances, lane lengths, and equipment weights.
  • Metric in Sports: Bicycling:  Explore educational resources to learn how the International System of Units (SI) measurements are used within bicycling. Bicycling competitive events include track cycling, road cycling, mountain biking, and BMX.
     

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