While thinking about this topic I was trying to figure out what items are metric in our standard units of measure. Go to the grocery store and find what we have imported or what we have as far as metric items in our country. I just found a few items that we buy by way of the metric system; tonic water, alcohol and soda pop. Also we buy everything with the metric measure in parenthesis whether it be bread which is measured by pounds, has grams in parenthesis. Most other items I have found have had grams, liters, and meters for how long something is. Essentially we have the system in play in our nation is metric, but it isn’t emphasized. Even though the United States has all the metric units emplaced on different items, it is unlikely that this great nation will change soon. Many other items are pressing the U.S. government this day and age, so it is very unlikely they will put this issue on the docket once again.
However, it is imperative that we continue to teach the students in this country the "ropes" of the metric system so they understand why the units are in place on a loaf of bread. The rest of the world works with the metric system so we need our students to know the metric system. Because of the many items that are imported, it is necessary for us as teachers to help the students understand the metric's system of measurement. Also on a side note a lot of the material that the United States exports is in the standard unit of measure. The other countries that receive our goods have to learn our unit of measure.
How do you make a big nation like the U.S. switch to the metric system? Well it is plain and simple, you don't. The U.S. is the only nation that has people fighting to get across the borders to live in the land of the free and home of the brave. We have too many people that are stuck in their ways that it is not crucial for the U.S. to switch the system that has worked for centuries.
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Reading over your blog got me thinking about how much fun it would be to take students to the grocery store to hunt for metric units. This could be a sort of race to see who can quickly find measurements on a list prearranged by the teacher. It would not only entertain the children, but I think it would really show them just how common it is to see these measurements (in parenthesis) on the foods we purchase.
I agree that we need to continue to teach our students the importance of the metric system--even if we choose not to use it exclusively as almost every other nation does. In a world in which global awareness is imperative, I think it's our responsibility to at least teach children the basics of metric measurement so they can function out there in the real world someday. Then, if they happen to be very far from home working, living, or vacationing, they can function adequately at the grocery store, the gas station, or the clothing boutique...
more about metric push:
www.gometric.us or www.metrication.us
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