This week’s mnemonic clue comes from an adult educator in Missouri.  Annell Wayman works at the Kirksville Adult Education and Literacy in Missouri.  She gave me the following clue that she has found effective helping all students, both children and adults, to remember the vocabulary of the metric system.  When learning the metric system or converting standard units to metric units, the student who cannot remember the metric terms can become frustrated and often just gives up.  This clue can assist not just individuals who have learning differences but anyone who is not accustomed to using metric measurements because these units may be new to the person and not part of his or her everyday life.

Kids Have Dropped Over Dead Converting Metrics

 Kids

            Kilo-                1000            (largest)

Have

            Hecta-             100

Dropped

            Deka-              10            k for kilo (larger)

Over

            Original         1            (meters, liters, grams)

Dead

            Deci-               10            c for centi (smaller)

Converting

            Centi-              100

Metrics

            Milli-               1000            (smallest)