America is actually on the metric system in a roundabout way. All measurements in the United States trace back to a one-kilogram cylinder from France. The Veritasium lesson explains the special care given to the original cylinders from 1889.

Concepts

the metric system, standard units of measurement, kilograms, pounds

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Compare and contrast the metric and standard units of measure
• Incorporate in a lesson of unit conversion

Classroom Considerations

• Expects experience with both metric and standard units of measure

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Emphasizes the importance of the history of the units of measure
• Interviews an expert in the field to get a professional viewpoint

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2 SL.11-12.2 RST.9-10.7 RST.11-12.7