One doesn't of course 'convert' between centimeters and meters - they are
essentially one and the same thing. This reveals a fundamental failure to
understand what the metric system (let alone SI) is about.
As for mentioning the centimeter, and not the millimeter - Pat N should be
having fits by now! Still, all part of the failure in teaching SI.
John F-L
----- Original Message -----
From: <mech...@illinois.edu>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <usma@colostate.edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 7:31 PM
Subject: [USMA:46909] Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
On Page 16 of the DRAFT (for Grade 2), under "Length Measurement" is the
statement: "Understand that 1 inch, 1 foot, 1 centimeter, and 1 meter are
conventionally defined lengths used as standard units. "There is no
mention of SI.
On Page 20 (for Grade 3) is the statement: "Determine and compare areas by
counting square units. Use cm^2, m^2, in^2, ft^2, and improvised units."
There is no mention of SI.
On Page 24 (for Grade 4) is the statement: "...show distances along a
race course to tents of a mile on a number line, by dividing the unit of
length into 10 equal parts to get parts of length 1/10...." There is no
mention of SI.
On Page 28 (for Grade 5)is the statement: Convert among differently sized
standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g. feet to
yards, centimeters to meters, and use conversions in solving multiple word
problems." also "...determine and compare volumes...by counting cubic
units (using cm^3, m^3, in^3,ft^3, and improvised units." There is no
mention of SI.
These are all the measurement related statements I have found to data.
The failure to even mention SI is a serious omission in my opinion. I
expect to more formally call attention to this major deficiency.
Gene Mechtly
