Units of Weights and Measures Learning Module

Module Description:

This module, from Support Center for Microsystems Education (SCME), provides "information on the evolution of the current systems of weights and measures, and an overview of the International Standards of Units and metric system." This module is divided into the following five units: Knowledge Probe (Pre-Quiz), Units of Weights and Measures Primary Knowledge (PK), Research Activity, Conversion Activity, and Assessment.

Module Contents: 

The module includes six instructor guides, five participant guides, and a presentation. PDF and DOC versions are provided for all of the guides. The included guides are Units of Weights and Measures Primary Knowledge (PK), Units of Weights and Measures Knowledge Probe (Pre-Quiz), two activities, and a Final Assessment. Instructor guides include additional content such as instructor notes and questions and answers. A Learning Module Map (LM) Instructor Guide is also included. 

The LM map provides information about the module including module contents, target audience, and a map that is divided into the following three sections: Important Steps, Key Points, and Reasons. 

Units of Weights and Measures Primary Knowledge (PK) is an instructional unit with the following learning objectives: 

• State two problems with the systems of weights and measures which led to the development of the metric system.
• Discuss the importance of an international standardized system of weights and measures.
• List the seven basic SI units of physical quantities.

The following sections are included in this unit guide: Introduction, Objectives, First Units of Weights and Measures, Commerce and Trade, English Units of Measurements, Systems of the US and the UK, The Origin of the Metric System, Treaty of the Meter, International System of Units (SI), and more.

The Units of Weights and Measures Research Activity should be assigned after completion of the Units of Weights and Measures Primary Knowledge (PK) unit. During the activity, students work in groups to research one of three problems related to the following discussion points:

• Current International Standard of Units (SI).
• United States resistance to adopting the SI.
• Use of metrics within MEMS technology.

In the Units of Weights and Measures Conversion Activity, students practice "converting metric units to larger and smaller quantities and converting between metric and US units." Objectives for the activity include: 

• Convert at least three metric quantities to a larger or smaller quantity.
• Convert at least three metric quantities to the US equivalents.
• Convert at least three US units to the metric equivalents.

Units of Weights and Measures Final Assessment (Post-Quiz) includes 15 questions and is intended to be given to students at the completion of the module.

A presentation is also included that provides a unit overview, objectives, and information about units of weights and measures. The presentation is provided in both PDF and PowerPoint formats.

For orientation purposes W_and_M_P1_LM-Map_IG.pdf is included as a separate attachment and offers a sample of the type of material included in this module.

Below is a list of the files included in the .zip attachment. The size of each file is included in parenthesis. 

Weights and Measures Learning Module (32 files, 13 MB)

• Instructor Guides
  • Docs
    • Units of Weights and Measures Research Activity Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_AC10_IG_May2017.docx 51 KB
    • Units of Weights and Measures Conversion Activity Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_AC11_IG_May2017.docx 532 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Final Assessment (Post-Quiz) Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_FA10_IG_May2017.docx 35 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Knowledge Probe (Pre-Quiz) Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_KP10_IG_May2017.docx 32 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Primary Knowledge (PK) Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_PK10_IG_May2017.docx 1.2 MB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Learning Module (W_and_M_P1_LM-Map_IG_May2017.docx 27 KB)
  • PDFs
    • Units of Weights and Measures Research Activity Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_AC10_IG.pdf 136 KB
    • Units of Weights and Measures Conversion Activity Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_AC11_IG.pdf 3.2 MB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Final Assessment (Post-Quiz) Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_FA10_IG.pdf 796 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Knowledge Probe (Pre-Quiz) Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_KP10_IG.pdf 133 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Primary Knowledge (PK) Instructor Guide (Int_Scale_PK10_IG.pdf 962 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Learning Module (W_and_M_P1_LM-Map_IG.pdf 116 KB)
• Participant Guides
  • Docs
    • Units of Weights and Measures Research Activity Participant Guide (Int_Scale_AC10_PG_May2017.docx 50 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Conversion Activity Participant Guide (Int_Scale_AC11_PG_May2017.docx 492 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Final Assessment (Post-Quiz) Participant Guide (Int_Scale_FA10_PG_May2017.docx 32 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Learning Module (Int_Scale_P1_KP10_PG_May2017.docx 32 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Primary Knowledge (PK) Participant Guide (Int_Scale_PK10_PG_May2017.docx 1.2 MB)
  • PDFs
    • Units of Weights and Measures Research Activity Participant Guide (Int_Scale_AC10_PG.pdf 131 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Conversion Activity Participant Guide (Int_Scale_AC11_PG.pdf 569 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Final Assessment (Post-Quiz) Participant Guide (Int_Scale_FA10_PG.pdf 116 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Learning Module (Int_Scale_P1_KP10_PG.pdf 124 KB)
    • Units of Weights and Measures Primary Knowledge (PK) Participant Guide (Int_Scale_PK10_PG.pdf 957 KB)
• Presentation
  • Units of Weights and Measures (Weights_and_Measures_Presentation.pdf 1.4 MB)
  • Units of Weights and Measures (Weights_and_Measures_Presentation.pptx 561 KB)