📏 Length Conversion Activity

Are your students learning to convert units within the metric and customary system? Understanding how to manipulate numbers within each unit of measurement is helpful in many everyday situations. To help students master this skill, Teach Starter has created a match-up activity for your students to practice converting units of length.

To play, cut out the cards and lay them in the playing area. Provide each student with a recording sheet. Students work together or independently to create 18 different matches. Each matching pair will consist of a conversion card and a corresponding answer.

Through this activity, students will use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units. Additionally, students will manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding 

A team of dedicated, experienced educators created this resource to support your math lessons.

In addition to individual student work time, use this match-up activity to enhance learning through guided math groups or whole class lessons.

If you have a mixture of above and below-level learners, check out these suggestions for keeping students on track with the concepts: 

🆘 Support Struggling Students

If there are students who need additional support, invite them to reference conversion posters to remind them of the proper way to transform units.

➕ Challenge Fast Finishers

For students who need an additional challenge, encourage them to convert to a different measurement unit. For example, if students are converting from centimeters to meters, encourage them to determine the number of millimeters that would be equivalent.

💃 Mirror Game🕺

This activity works best with small groups because you’ll need enough dry-erase boards and markers for each student. Divide your class into 2 groups seated in 2 lines facing each other. Project a task card and give students a set time to record their answers on their boards. On your cue, the students turn their boards around so their partner can see their answers. If both students in a pair have the correct answer, they get 2 points. If one has the correct answer, the team gets 1 point.

✅ Test Prep or Class Review

You can easily turn this game into a review session at the end of your lesson, or right before a test to give students some extra practice. Read or display the conversion cards to your class, and ask them to write the correct answer on a piece of paper. If applicable, project the possible answers on your smartboard or other projection device. 

Plan lessons for all ability levels with our 10 Best Scaffolding Strategies! 

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the color PDF, black and white PDF, or editable Google Slides version of this resource. A recording sheet and answer key are also included with this download. 

Print on cardstock for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access. 

Sustainability Tip: Print a few recording sheets on cardstock and slip them into dry-erase sleeves. Students can record their answers with a whiteboard marker, then erase and reuse them.  

This resource was created by Cassandra Friesen, a teacher in Colorado and Teach Starter Collaborator. 

Don’t stop there! We’ve got more activities and resources that cut down on lesson planning time:  

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Converting Units of Length – Error Analysis Worksheet

Analyze length conversions to identify and correct mistakes with this error analysis worksheet.

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Converting Units of Length - Math Mazes

Strengthen measurement conversion skills while converting units of length with this set of math mazes.

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Riddle Me! Converting Units of Length – Worksheet

Use ratio reasoning and measurement conversion skills to complete a set of 3 riddle worksheets.