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TRANSCRIPT
E X P L O R I N G M A T H S
NUMBER Exploring 1-5Exploring 6-10Games and Activities for 0-10Exploring 0-50 NumerationExploring 0-50 Operations
Numbers to 50 Picture PackExploring 0-100 NumerationExploring 0-100 OperationsExploring Calculators Exploring FractionsExploring Money
MEASUREMENTExploring Length/AreaExploring Volume/MassExploring Temperature/Time
EXPLORING VOLUME AND MASS MEASUREMENT LOWER PRIMARY
About the authorOriginally a primary school teacher, Bev Dunbar is now actively involved in teacher education as a Mathematics Consultant and University Lecturer in Mathematics Education.
Bev is a passionate believer in fun, practical resources which help teachers make maths lessons a highlight of the day.
• Seven carefully sequenced units whichdevelop skills in practical measurement
• Over 25 activity-based, easy-to-useteaching ideas
• A sample yearly maths overview • Two sample weekly programs • Useful activity cards for independent
small group work
• An outcome indicators record forassessing individual progress
• Over 50 blackline masters
In fact, almost everything you need to explore volume and mass in your classroom.
Titles in the Exploring Maths series
The Exploring Maths series is designed to provide busy teacherswith practical resources that are mathematically up-to-date, fun andeasy to use. Each book contains a wealth of activities, blackline mastersand assessment tasks for a whole life-time of teaching. These activitiesencourage your children to think mathematically by exploring, experimenting, being creative and taking risks. By asking questions andactive discovery, children learn to enjoy using mathematics as part oftheir everyday lives.
Exploring Volume and Mass includes:
E X P L O R I N G M A T H S
Activities,blackline masters & assessment pages that are fun and
easy to use
BevDunbar
EXPLORINGEXPLORING
VolumeMass
ISBN 1-86509-224-X
9
781865 092249
and
M e a s u r e m e n T L O W E R P R I M A R Y 2
COVER, Volume/Mass 9/30/04 9:08 AM Page 2
Exploring Volumeand Mass
with Lower Primary
Bev Dunbar
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IntroductionExploring Volume and Mass
Measurement is an important aspect of any mathematics program. It is a practical way to apply number skills to solve problems specific to each student’s stage of development. Both the classroom and the playground are utilised and a wide variety of everyday objects can be used as measuring objects.
Exploring Volume and Mass is a companion to the other Measurement books in theExploring Maths series. Volume is a measure of the amount of space occupied bya 3-dimensional object. Capacity relates to containers. It is a measure of theamount of another substance that a container can hold inside it. For example, abrick has a fixed volume but no capacity.
Mass is a measure of the amount of substance in a 3-dimensional object. Itremains the same wherever it is measured. Weight relates to the effect of gravityon a mass. Weight varies depending on where it is measured. For example, inspace you are ‘weightless’ yet your mass is still the same. Most people generallyignore this distinction and talk only about ‘weight’. In this book, the more correctword, ‘mass’, is emphasised.
These particular substrands can easily be neglected in schools because they’reseen as messy, wet or requiring extra equipment. To help inspire you, here areover 30 action-packed ideas for developing skills in exploring, comparing andusing informal units in fun, practical ways. And the activities range from simple to challenging to help you cater for different ability groups.
Making your teaching life easier is a major aim of this series. This book is dividedinto sequenced units, each packed with enough photocopiable discussion andactivity cards for small groups or a whole class to explore, for up to a week at atime. You’ll find easy-to-follow instructions, with assessment help in the form ofclearly stated outcomes linked to a checklist (see p.91).
Each activity is designed to maximise the way in which your students constructtheir own understandings about volume and mass. The activities are generallyopen-ended and encourage each student to think and work mathematically, withan emphasis on practical manipulation of materials and the development of language and recording skills. Look forward now, to exploring these conceptswith your students.
Copyright © Bev Dunbar Maths Matters 2001Reprinted 2004Exploring Volume and Mass ISBN 186509 224 X
Published by Blake EducationLocked Bag 2022Glebe NSW 2037
Series editor: Garda TurnerIllustration and design by Janice Bowles
Printed by Printing Creations The blackline masters in this book may be reproduced by the original purchaser for use with their class(es) only.
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978 1 86509 224 9
Contents
How to use this Book 2
Exploring Volume Language 3
Comparing Volumes 17
Using Informal Volume Units 31
Exploring Displacement 43
Exploring Mass Language 51
Using a Balance 63
Using Informal Mass Units 77
Essential Resources 89
Outcome Indicators Record 91
Sample Yearly Programs 92
Sample Weekly Programs 93
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Exploring Volume and Mass2
Over 30 Teaching IdeasMore than 30 exciting teaching ideas have been placed into 7 sections to assistyour lesson planning for the whole class or small groups. Each activity hasclearly coded learning outcomes and easy-to-follow instructions. Activities areopen-ended and encourage your students to think for themselves.
Over 50 Blackline MastersThere are 3 types of blackline masters.
How to use this Book
Label cardse.g. p.19 Which is larger?These support free exploration as well as structured activities. Laminate them for reusewith small groups.
Discussion Cardse.g. p.58 Is it heavier?Cut these out, shuffle and use over and overagain for small group games. Photocopy eachset in different colours.
Activity Cardse.g. p.42 BlocksUse these as an additional stimulus for smallgroup work. The language is simple and easy-to-follow. Encourage your students toinvent their own activity cards too. You canlaminate them so that they last for years.
Essential Resources ListsYou’ll find suggestions on pages 89 and 90 forwhat your maths storage supply can look like inreadiness for teaching Volume or Mass with 5-7year olds. Collect these as a whole school and store them centrally.
Outcomes Indicator RecordThe complete list of learning outcomes is available on page 91. Use this to record individual student progress throughout each unit.Try to assess a few students each day.
Sample Weekly ProgramsOn pages 93 and 94 you’ll find examples of how to organise a 5-day selection of activities from Comparing Volumes and Using Informal Mass Unitsfor a whole class.
takes up much less space than
takes up much more space than
takes up a little more space than
takes up about the same space as
takes up a little less space than
Exploring Volume and Mass 19
Exploring Volume and Mass
58
a brick
a bottle of drink
a bed
an apple
a space alien
a kitten
a baby giraffe
a kangaroo
a bunch of celery
a bicycle
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Exploring Volume and Mass 3
Exploring Volume Language
In this unit, your students will:• Observe, discuss the space occupied by objects (V1-1)
• Fill, empty containers using a variety of materials (V1-2)
• Pack a variety of objects into defined spaces (V1-3)
• Use volume and capacity language, e.g. pack, fit, fill, empty (V1-4)
(The coded outcomes in this section refer to the Outcome Indicators on page 91.)
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Exploring Volume and Mass4
How large is it?What are you trying to do?★ Observe, discuss the space occupied by objects (V1-1)
★ Use volume and capacity language (V1-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class
What do you need?★ Balloons★ Blindfold★ Variety of 3D objects, e.g. box, ball, book★ Paper, pencils★ Animal face parts (BLM p.5), scissors, glue
What do you do?★ Discuss the size of objects around you.What’s the largest thing you can see?
What does large mean? e.g. the space taken up by an object. What do youthink is the largest thing in the world? What is the smallest thing?
★ Blow up a balloon. Discuss the idea that large things can also be hollow. Whatcan you see that is about as large as this balloon? Is it hollow also? Does thesize depend on whether it is hollow or not?
★ Blindfold a student. Ask them to feel a variety of objects. Can they identifywhether each object feels large or small or even the same size as anotherobject? How can they tell? e.g. Is this as large as Minh’s backpack?
★ Predict the size of objects using your hands. e.g. Show how big an elephantmight be if it were in the room with us now; show how large Sam’s lunchbox is.Check size estimates wherever possible by comparing with the real objects.
★ Draw pictures of some very large and very small objects. Compare, discuss, display.
Variations★ Blow up balloons to make animal heads. Discuss and compare
the different sizes. Decorate with cut-out animal face parts. Display.
★ Create a class book about the size of objects. Cut out magazine pictures and add drawings and comments from students.
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Exploring Volume and Mass 5
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Exploring Volume and Mass6
How full is it?What are you trying to do?★ Fill, empty containers
using a variety of materials (V1-2)
★ Pack a variety of objects into defined spaces (V1-3)
★ Use volume and capacity language (V1-4)
How many can play?★ Small groups, whole class
What do you need?★ Empty cartons, boxes, containers★ Packing materials, e.g. blocks, marbles, dried beans★ Funnels, plastic tubing, cups, spoons★ Sieves, e.g. milk cartons cut down with different size holes in the base★ Pouring materials, e.g. water, rice, pasta, seeds★ How full is it? activity cards (BLMs pp.7,8)★ How full is it? worksheet (BLM p.9)
How do you play?★ Close your eyes. Imagine your hands are full of chocolates. What do you mean
when you say something is full?
★ Imagine you are thirsty and you ask someone for a cup of water. How do youknow if your cup is full or not? Demonstrate by filling a cup with water. Is it full to thebrim or does it have a small gap left?
★ Discuss what happens when you open a carton of milk. Where does the milk comeup to inside? Why? e.g. When you are packing liquids you usually want a gap atthe top of the container to prevent spills.
★ What about a full packet of biscuits? ... a tub of ice-cream? ... a box of apples?e.g. You usually mean full to the brim when packing solid objects into a container.
★ What happens if you add more to a container that is already full? e.g. Fill a boxwith marbles, then predict what will happen if you add more.
★ Walk around your environment, inside and outside, looking for examples ofcontainers. Predict whether they are empty, half full or full before you check thecontents of each one.
Variations★ Use the How full is it? activity cards in small groups. You need a partner for each
activity. Explore different ways to fill your containers. Experiment with differentpacking materials too. Remember to use water only in suitable wet areas.
★ Fill in the worksheet. Call out instructions for each container. e.g. Draw a line toshow where the milk is in the carton if it is half full.
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Exploring Volume and Mass 7
You need cups, funnels, plastic
tubes, containers and water.
Find different ways to fill your
container to the top.
What makes some containers
easier to fill than others?
Which filling devices are easier
to use?
You need empty containers and
packing materials.
Find different ways to pack your
container to the top.
What makes some containers
easier to pack than others?
What makes some materials easier
to pack?
Pack it in
Fill it up
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You need sieves and packing orpouring materials, e.g. marbles,rice, water.Find different ways to fill your sieveto the top.What makes some sieves more difficult to fill than others?What makes some materials difficult to hold?
You need cups, funnels, plastictubes, containers.You need pouring materials too,e.g. rice, shells, pasta.Find different ways to fill your container to the top.What makes some containers easier to pour into than others?What makes some materials easierto pour?
Pour it in
Can it hold it?
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Exploring Volume and Mass 9
How full is it?
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Exploring Volume and Mass10
Will they fit?What are you trying to do?★ Observe, discuss the space occupied by objects (V1-1)
★ Pack a variety of objects into defined spaces (V1-3)
★ Use volume and capacity language (V1-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class
What do you need?★ An example of a very large shoe★ A paper bag or small box and some oranges★ Will they fit? discussion cards A (BLM p.11 - copied onto yellow paper)★ Will they fit? discussion cards B (BLM p.12 - copied onto blue paper)★ Will they fit? activity cards (BLM p.13)
How do you play?★ What size foot do you need to fit into this shoe? How many of your feet do you
think could fit inside it?
★ Discuss the fact that some things can be too large or too small to be a perfectfit. Identify some things that you know are a good fit, e.g. a hand and a glove, adress on your big sister. Tell me some things you know are not a good fit. e.g. Ourgarage is built for 2 cars but we own only 1 car - there is lots of space left over.
★ Demonstrate how to pack objects neatly into a container. How many do youguess will fit inside? Is there any space left over? e.g. I guess you need 6 orangesto fill that bag.
★ Shuffle the sets of cards into two separate piles. Turn and read out the top cardin each pile. Imagine the situation and discuss it together. Estimate the size of theitems on each card. Will they fit together?
e.g. Could 8 grandmas fit inside your teacher’s car?
★ Can you think of any special circumstance when they will fit? e.g. 4 whales anda shopping trolley - perhaps they are only toy whales.
Variations★ Create your own set of Will they fit? discussion cards for another class to discuss.
★ Use the Will they fit? activity cards. Explore different ways to make a containerwith an exact fit for each set of objects.
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your feet 2 cats
3 cars 4 whales
8 grandmas 10 students
15 cans 20 fish
50 beetles 100 people
Exploring Volume and Mass 11
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a jar your dad’s shoes
a cardboard box
a medium size aquarium
a shopping trolley
your teacher’s car
your garage
a swimming pool
your lounge room
an aeroplane
Exploring Volume and Mass12
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Exploring Volume and Mass 13
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Exploring Volume and Mass14
Tip it outWhat are you trying to do?★ Observe, discuss the space occupied
by objects (V1-1)
★ Fill and empty containers using a variety of materials (V1-2)
★ Pack a variety of objects into defined spaces (V1-3)
★ Use volume and capacity language (V1-4)
How many can play?★ Small groups
What do you need?★ Sand, water, small cups, moulds★ Prepared jelly mixture, jelly moulds, access to a fridge★ Plaster, plaster moulds★ Prepared cake or muffin mix, cake trays, access to an oven★ Tip it out activity cards (BLMs pp.15,16)
How do you play?★ Imagine you are in a shop. Where do you find things packed into a
container? e.g. biscuits in a tin, groceries in a shopping bag, soap powder ina box. If you open the container and tip out the contents, what happens?e.g. Biscuits are loose and can be put into a jar.
★ Sometimes the contents of a container are solid. When you open the container you can tip out the inside and it stays the same shape as it waswhen it was inside. List objects that you know like this, e.g. a toy car, a cakeof soap, some cans of pet food.
★ Discuss what happens to water in a container. e.g. If you spill a glass ofwater, the water goes everywhere. If you freeze water to make an ice-block,then the water stays the same shape when you tip it out.
★ Identify things in your environment which would stay the same shape if youtipped them out from a container. e.g. A bag of marbles would spill out ontothe floor but a box of books would stay the same shape if you removed thecardboard box.
Variation★ Use the Tip it out activity cards. Explore different ways to pack your
containers and investigate the shapes made when you tip them out. e.g. Trydry sand, damp sand then really wet sand. What do you notice when you tipout the shapes each time?
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Exploring Volume and Mass 15
Explore different ways to make shapes from jelly.Put them in a fridge to set.Predict what each shape will look like when you tip it out.What makes some shapes easier to tip out than others?Make one huge jelly shape together.
Explore different ways to make shapes made from sand. Predict what each shape will look like when you tip it out.What makes some shapes easier to tip out than others? What’s the largest shape you canmake? ... the smallest?Make one huge sand shape together.
Sand
Jelly
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Exploring Volume and Mass16
Explore different ways to makeshapes from cake mix.Put them in an oven to cook.Predict what each shape willlook like when you tip it out.What makes some shapeseasier to tip out than others?Make one huge cake shape together.
Explore different ways to make shapes from plaster.Leave them to set.Predict what each shape willlook like when you tip it out.What makes some shapes easier to tip out than others?Make one huge plaster shape together.
Plaster
Cake
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Exploring Volume and Mass 17
ComparingVolumes
In this unit, your students will:
• Compare, describe 2 or more volumes, capacities (V2-1)
• Identify objects with the same volume, capacity (V2-2)
• Understand that objects with same volume,capacity may have a different shape (V2-3)
• Order 3 or more volumes, capacities (V2-4)
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Exploring Volume and Mass18
Which is larger?What are you trying to do?★ Compare, describe 2 or more
volumes, capacities (V2-1)
How many can play?★ Whole class, pairs
What do you need?★ Objects around the classroom★ Which is larger? label cards (BLM p.19)★ Workbook, pencils★ Which is larger? discussion cards (BLM p.20)
How do you play?★ What’s the largest thing in this room? How do you know? What’s the smallest
thing you can see in this room?
★ Hold up 2 objects at random. Which one is larger? What clues do you use tojudge size? How do you know just by looking? Discuss ideas together.
★ Discuss the 5 label cards. Demonstrate how to place objects on either side ofeach label to record your decisions.
e.g.takes up much more
space than
★ Walk around with a partner. Find pairs of objects to label. Record 2 of your favourites in a workbook.
★ Class challenge.Name two objects, e.g. a giraffe and a hippo. Which one islarger? Compare pairs of objects which are quite different in size, as well asobjects that are very similar in size.
Variations★ Shuffle the discussion cards. Select any 2 cards. Think about how large each
object might be in real life. Which of the 2 objects would be larger? Considerdifferent possibilities, e.g. a cricket ball is only small but a beach ball can bevery large.
★ Invent 10 more discussion cards for another team to try.
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takes up much less space than
takes up much more space than
takes up a little more space than
takes up about the same space as
takes up a little less space than
Exploring Volume and Mass 19
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a wombat
a pumpkin
a puppy
a rooster
a koala
a television set
a carton of milk
a ball
a rock
a baby
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Exploring Volume and Mass 21
Which holds more?What are you trying to do?★ Compare, describe 2 or more
volumes, capacities (V2-1)
★ Identify objects with the same volume, capacity (V2-2)
★ Order 3 or more volumes, capacities (V2-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class, pairs, small groups
What do you need?★ Various plastic bottles, sponges, buckets, boxes ★ Water, balls, blocks★ Which holds more? label cards (BLM p.22)★ Which holds more? discussion cards (BLM p.23)★ Which holds more? activity cards (BLMs pp.24,25)
How do you play?★ List at least 10 containers you use in daily life, e.g. a can of pet food.
★ Why do you need containers? e.g. To store things in; to carry things from oneplace to another.
★ What can you put in a container? e.g. I pack all my clothes in a large suitcasewhen I travel.
★ How can you compare containers? e.g. You can sometimes tell just by looking.How can you check which one holds more? e.g. You can pour things from onefull container to another to see whether it overflows.
★ Take 2 containers, e.g. 2 cans. Demonstrate how to check which one holdsmore marbles. Discuss the 5 label cards. Demonstrate how to use them forrecording your discoveries.
★ Find a partner. Find pairs of containers to compare, check then label.
★ Finish with the Which holds more? discussion cards. Take any 2 cards. Decidewhich one holds more. Justify why you think this. Try to put three or more inorder from the thing that holds the least to the thing that holds the most.
Variation★ Use the Which holds more? activity cards in small groups.
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holds much less than
holds much more than
holds a little more than
holds about the same as
holds a little less than
Exploring Volume and Mass22
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a garbage truck
a school bag
a paper bag
a pelican’s beak
a refrigerator
a storeroom
a bookshelf
a shopping trolley
a wheelbarrow
a bicycle carry basket
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Exploring Volume and Mass24
You need 2 sponges.Which one holds more water?Guess first, then check.Find another sponge you thinkholds even more. Check. Mix up the 3 sponges. Ask a friend to put them in order from the one that holds the least,to the most.
You need 2 bottles.Which one holds more water?Guess first, then check.Find another container you thinkholds even more. Check. Mix up the 3 containers. Ask a friend to put them in order from the one that holds the least,to the most.
Bottles
Sponges
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Exploring Volume and Mass 25
You need 2 boxes.Which one holds more blocks?Guess first, then check.Find another box you think holdseven more. Check. Mix up the 3 boxes. Ask a friend to put them in order from the one that holds the least,to the most.
You need 2 buckets.Which one holds more balls?Guess first, then check.Find another container you thinkholds even more. Check. Mix up the 3 buckets. Ask a friend to put them in order from the one that holds the least,to the most.
Buckets
Boxes
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Exploring Volume and Mass26
Find a pairWhat are you trying to do?★ Identify objects with the same
volume, capacity (V2-2)
★ Understand that objects with the same volume or capacity may have a different shape (V2-3)
How many can play?★ Small groups, pairs
What do you need?★ Milk cartons, boxes, bottles, cans★ Water, rice, marbles, blocks★ Scissors, paste, cellotape, plasticine★ Find a pair activity cards (BLM p.27)
How do you play?★ Do all things that hold the same amount have to be the same shape?
Discuss different views together.
★ Demonstrate how a full carton of water can be poured into a second carton to exactly the same level. They are the same shape and hold thesame amount of water or milk.
★ What if the container was a different shape? Can you find another container that holds exactly the same amount of water as the milk carton?Check then discuss your results together.
★ Demonstrate how to make a small container from plasticine. Fill it with water. Make a second container that is a different shape, e.g. it is longerand narrower. Check the size by pouring the water from one container to another.
★ Work with a partner. Find pairs of containers that hold about the sameamount as each other but have a different shape.
★ Discuss some of the solution strategies together. e.g. I cut down this container until it held the same amount of rice as that one.
Variation★ How can you make your own containers? e.g. Cut up boxes or bottles.
Use the Find a pair activity cards. Compare and discuss the different shapesyou discover or make. Look at the size of each one in your pair. What doyou notice?
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Race awayWhat are you trying to do?★ Order 3 or more volumes, capacities (V2-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class
What do you need?★ Bowls of water, cups, large containers, funnels★ Long plastic tubes, e.g. 2 metres★ Thick sponges★ Flat trays★ Race away activity cards (BLMs pp.29,30)
How do you play?★ What’s the fastest way you can fill a container with water? e.g. Use a
funnel and a cup. Discuss different possibilities.
★ How can you quickly fill a can with loose marbles? e.g. Use your hands.Discuss different possibilities.
★ Discuss the fastest ways to fill a bookcase with books. e.g. First stack allthe same size books together.
★ How can these ideas for filling containers be used for team races? Discuss suggestions.
★ Try out one of the examples shown on the Race away activity cards forstarters. Collect the equipment you need. Discuss the rules behind eachrace.
Variation★ Invent more races like this. e.g. Pack old clothes into a suitcase, lunch
boxes into a basket, books into a box.
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Race away 1(like Tunnel Ball)
Line up in teams, with a cup and a bowl of water in front
of each team and a container and a funnel next to the
last person in each team.
Race to fill the cup with water then pass it under all the legs to the
last person, who pours the water into the container.
The last person races to the front with the empty cup and the
whole process starts again.
Which team has collected the most water at the end of the race?
Race away 2Line up in teams with water, a long plastic tube, a cup
and a funnel in front of each team and a container
and a funnel next to the last person in each team.
Race to pour a cup of water into the tube then manipulate it
over the shoulders of each person and into the container
for the last person.
The last person races to the front and the whole process
starts again.
Which team has collected the most water at the end of the race?
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Race away 3(like Captain Ball)
Line up in teams with water and a thick sponge
at the start of each team and a funnel and a container at a 10
metre line in front.
The first person fills the sponge with water, races to the line and
squeezes as much water as possible into the funnel. The first person
then runs back, passes the sponge to the next person and goes to
the back. The whole process starts again.
Which team has collected the most water at the end of the race?
Race away 4(a shuttle relay)
Line up in teams with water, a waiter’s tray and a cup at the
start of each team and a funnel and a container at a 10 metre line
in front of each team.
The first person races to fill the cup with water, place it on the tray,
run to the 10 metre line and pour the water into the container.
The first person then runs back, passes the cup and the tray to the
next person, then goes to the back of the team.
The whole process starts again.
Which team has collected the most water at the end of the race?
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Using Informal Volume Units
In this unit, your students will:• Use informal units to estimate, measure volume, capacity (V3-1)
• Record volume, capacity measurements using tallying (V3-2)
• Build, compare 3D models using informal units (V3-3)
• Understand that different shapes can have the same volume (V3-4)
• Order 3 or more volumes, capacities using informal units (V3-5)
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How many ...?What are you trying to do?★ Use informal units to estimate,
measure volume, capacity (V3-1)
★ Record volume, capacity measurements using tallying (V3-2)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups
What do you need?★ Water, cups, containers★ Packing materials, e.g. blocks,
marbles, lunch boxes, books★ How many? discussion/activity cards (BLM p.33)★ Workbook, pencils
How do you play?★ Why would you need to know which of two or more containers is the larger?
e.g. To hold the most drink for a picnic lunch.
★ How do we know which container holds the most? Discuss suggestions for comparing2 containers. e.g. I can tell by looking, that this one is larger.
★ What if the two containers look similar? Discuss the idea of counting up how manysmaller containers you need to fill each of the containers. Demonstrate by filling oneof the containers with cups of water. How will you keep count? e.g. Make tally markson paper. How many cups do you need to fill the second container? Estimate thencheck. Compare tally counts.
★ What else can we measure this way? e.g. How many oranges will fill a bag? How many buckets of water will fill a bath? How many people will fill a car?
★ Work in small groups. Explore the How many? cards. Collect the equipment youneed. Estimate how many of each unit you will use. Discuss with your partners at leasttwo ways to check. Find another container that holds the same amount. Record some of your discoveries. Make up more questions to explore.
★ Discuss discoveries and any problems together.
Variation★ At home, how many cans fit in a cupboard? How many towels? How many
saucepans? Look for items around your home that you can count. Compare yourresults with friends back at school.
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How many cups of water in a saucepan?
How many blocks in a box?
How many cups of water in a teapot?
How many lunch boxes in a basket?
How many pencils in a pencil case?
How many marbles in a bag?
How many books in a school bag?
How many cans of water in a bucket?
How many spoons of rice in a cup?
How many matches in a matchbox?
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GroceriesWhat are you trying to do?★ Use informal units to estimate,
measure volume, capacity (V3-1)
★ Record volume, capacity measurements using tallying (V3-2)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups, pairs
What do you need?★ Grocery items, e.g. cans, packets, tubes★ Empty boxes, crates, shopping bags★ Workbooks, pencils★ Groceries discussion cards (BLM p.35)
How do you play?★ Why do you need shopping bags? e.g. To help carry things to the car without
spilling them everywhere.
★ How many groceries can you fit inside a shopping bag? Discuss different possibilities. What if all the items were the same, e.g. cans of cat food? How many cans do you estimate would fit inside?
★ What if you need to know how many cans would fit altogether, yet you onlyhave one can? e.g. Estimate the space one can takes up and keep mentallyadding spaces until you’ve ‘filled’ the whole bag.
★ Explore stacking and packing in groups. Investigate how many of each itemyou’d need to fill a crate, a bag or a box. Are some items easier to pack thanothers? What about how heavy they feel? Can you still carry them safely eventhough they fill the container?
★ Record some of your discoveries.
Variations★ Shuffle the discussion cards. Read out the top card. Discuss the size and shape
of the container you’d need to hold this set of grocery items. Demonstratewith your hands. Discuss different possibilities. Justify why you selected this sizeand shape.
★ What sized container would you need to hold 4 dogs? ... 3 kittens? ...10 mice?Discuss. Demonstrate with your hands.
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15 tubes of toothpaste
3 boxes of soap powder
2 bags of chips
5 packets of cheese
4 apple pies
10 packets of biscuits
20 cans of soup
8 bottles of drink
18 yoghurt containers
13 loaves of bread
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OrangesWhat are you trying to do?★ Use informal units to estimate,
measure volume, capacity (V3-1)
★ Record volume, capacity measurements using tallying (V3-2)
★ Order 3 or more volumes, capacities using informal units (V3-5)
How many can play?★ Small groups
What do you need?★ Oranges, cardboard box★ Lemon squeezers, plastic knives, potato peelers★ Funnels, containers, cups★ Oranges activity cards (BLMs pp.37,38)★ Oranges recipes, utensils and ingredients (BLMs pp.39,40)
How do you play?★ What’s the largest orange you’ve ever seen? ... the smallest?
Demonstrate with your hands.
★ Investigate a pile of oranges. What’s the largest orange you can see?Put them in order from the smallest to the largest.
★ How many oranges would you need to fill a bag? ... a box? Estimatefirst, then find a way to check. What happens if the oranges are all different sizes?
★ Break into small groups with an Oranges activity card for each group.Collect all the equipment you need. Think of other Oranges activitiesyou could try in your group.
★ Discuss any discoveries or problems together.
Variations★ Follow up with small group cooking tasks. Collect your own recipes or
use the Oranges recipes provided here.
★ Explore volume activities with other fruits and vegetables. e.g. Howmany apples do you need to make a cup of juice?
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OrangesHow much juice is in one orange? Estimate
first then check. Do all oranges give the same
amount of juice? What’s the largest amount
in any one orange? ... the smallest amount?
OrangesHow many oranges make one cup of juice?
Estimate first then check. How many oranges
would you need to make a jug of juice?
How many oranges would you need if 10
children wanted a cup of juice each?
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Oranges
What’s the longest orange peel you can
make from one orange? Estimate first then
check. Does the largest orange have the
longest peel? Does the smallest orange
have the shortest peel?
Oranges
What’s the heaviest orange you can find?
Is the largest orange also the heaviest?
Is the smallest orange also the lightest?
Does the heaviest orange have the
most juice? Does the
lightest orange have
the least juice?
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What do you need?1 ripe banana 1 cup of plain yoghurt1 cup of orange juice1 tablespoon of honey
1 mixing bowl1 wooden spooncups
What do you need?3/4 cup butter1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup milk1/2 cup coconut 1/2 cup chopped raisins1/2 cup wheatgerm1/2 cup lecithin meal1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 wooden spoon1 saucepan1 greased tray
What do you do?Melt butter and honey in saucepan over low heat.Mix in other ingredients, except milk and coconut.Stir in enough milk to make a firm mixture. Roll this into small balls. Roll each ball in coconut.Place on tray.Put in fridge to set.
Orange Fruit Balls
Orange Fruit Shake
What do you do?Mash the banana with the spoon.Mix this with the honey and yoghurt.Stir in the orange juice.Blend. Pour into cups and drink.
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What do you need?1 cup of self-raising floura pinch of salt1 dessertspoon of butter1 teaspoon grated orange rind1 tablespoon of orange juice4 tablespoons of milk
mixing bowlwooden spoongreased traydessertspoonplastic knifepaintbrush
Orange FacesWhat do you need?1 cup of butter1 cup of sugar2 eggs1 teaspoon grated orange rinda few drops of vanilla2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup cream cheese1 tablespoon honeyorange food colouringSmarties
1 large bowlwooden spoonrolling pinplastic knifegreased tray
What do you do?Preheat oven to 180 C. Beat butter and sugar in bowl until creamy. Beat in eggsone at a time. Add orange rind and vanilla. Stir in flour. Mix to a light dough. Roll on floured surface until thin. Cut out oval face shapes. Put on greased tray.Bake about 10 minutes, then cool. Mix cream cheese, honey and orange colouringto make icing. Cover top of each biscuit with icing. Create face with Smarties foreyes and nose.
What do you do?Preheat oven to 240 C. Mix flour and salt in bowl. Rub in butter with fingertips.Pour in orange juice and most of milk. Mix quickly to a soft dough with knife. Place dough on a floured surface. Knead lightly. Press out to a thick, flatter shape.Cut out small triangle shapes. Paint tops with remaining milk. Place on tray. Bake about 10 minutes until brown.
Orange Triangles
o
o
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BlocksWhat are you trying to do?★ Build, compare 3D models
using informal units (V3-3)
★ Understand that different shapes can have the same volume (V3-4)
How many can play?★ Small groups, pairs
What do you need?★ Stacking boxes or blocks,
e.g. multilinks, wooden cubes★ Paper, pencils★ Blocks copy cards (BLM p.42)
How do you play?★ Imagine you had to design a toy made from 2 blocks. How many different ways can you
arrange them? e.g. beside each other, on top.
★ How many different ways can you arrange 3 blocks? Discuss various possibilities together.
★ Imagine you had to design a toy made from 4 blocks. What are possible shapes it couldlook like? How many different shapes can you discover?
★ What if there were 5 blocks? 10 blocks? 20 blocks?
★ Class challenge - Imagine you had to design a box to hold and transport 5 large TV sets.What could it look like? Is one shape more suitable than another? Why? How muchspace would it take up in the room? Ask your friends to think of other size challenges.
Variations★ Draw your favourite 4-block model. Can your partner build an identical copy based on
your drawing?
★ Build models identical to those shown on the copy cards. How many other ways can youbuild a model with 8 blocks?
★ Race your friends to build a model from blocks in a given time, e.g. 1 minute. Who hasbuilt the largest model? How can you check?
★ Play a packing game with blocks, dice and an identical empty box for each player.Throw the dice, take the matching number of blocks and pack them into your box.Who is the first player to fill their box? Or race to fill a bucket with cups of water according to the throw of the dice.
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Exploring Displacement
In this unit, your students will:• Compare volumes by water displacement (rising levels) (V4-1)
• Compare volumes by water displacement (overflow) (V4-2)
• Compare volumes by water displacement (falling levels) (V4-3)
• Understand that volumes stay the same when broken into smaller parts (V4-4)
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Drop it inWhat are you trying to do?★ Compare volumes by water
displacement (rising levels) (V4-1)
★ Compare volumes by water displacement (overflow) (V4-2)
★ Understand volumes stay the same when broken into smaller parts (V4-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups
What do you need?★ Clear containers, water, objects,
overflow trays or bowls, marker pens★ Interlocking bricks (e.g. DUPLO),
plasticine★ Drop it in activity cards (BLMs pp.45,46)
How do you play?★ When you have a bath, how do you know how much water to put in?
e.g. Just enough to cover your body. What happens to the water level whenyou get in completely? e.g. It goes up. What happens to the water level whenyou get out of the bath? e.g. It goes down again.
★ Imagine you have a new aquarium full of water. What will happen if you putin one large fish? Where should you fill it to so the water doesn’t spill over?
★ What else do we use in our daily life that involves water this way? e.g Addingice cubes to a drink, adding potatoes to a pot of water.
★ Form small groups with an activity card for each group. Find the equipmentyou need. Explore different ways to solve your problem. Think of extra activitieson the same topic.
★ Discuss problems. e.g. How many different ways can you place an object intothe water? ... with a piece of string tied around it ... just by pressing down withyour fingers.
★ Discuss discoveries. e.g. How does the overflow method help us measure size?e.g. You can measure the amount of water in the overflow tray - the largestobject spills the most water.
Variation★ Explore ways to compare the size of large objects (e.g. balloons) using bins or
large buckets of water.
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Drop it in 1Find 3 objects that you think are close in size.
Estimate which one is the largest.
Partly fill a clear container with water.
Mark the water level. Predict what will
happen when you drop an object in and
then remove it.
How can you use this to measure size?
From the results place your objects in order.
Check your estimate.
Drop it in 2Find 3 objects that you think are close in size.
Estimate which one is the largest.
Place a small bucket in a larger empty
bowl. Fill the bucket to the brim with water.
Predict what will happen when you place
an object in the bucket.
How can you use this to measure size?
From the results place the objects in order.
Check your estimate.
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Drop it in 3Make a model from 6 interlocking blocks.Partly fill a clear container with water. Mark the water level. Predict what willhappen when you drop your model in.Predict what will happen when you drop6 loose bricks in. Compare results.
Drop it in 4Make a large model from plasticine.
Place a small bucket in a larger empty bowl.
Fill the bucket to the brim with water. Predict
what will happen when you drop your
model in. Break your model into small
pieces. Predict what will happen when you
drop all these pieces in.
Compare results.
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Take it outWhat are you trying to do?★ Compare volumes by water displacement
(falling levels) (V4-3)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups
What do you need?★ A box of cornflakes, a bottle of soft drink★ Clear containers, water, objects, marker pens★ Take it out activity cards (BLMs pp.48,49)★ Take it out discussion cards (BLMs p.50)
How do you play?★ Imagine you are setting up a small aquarium. You arrange some rocks in the bottom
and fill it up with water. What will happen if you decide to remove the rocks? What will happen to the water level now?
★ Imagine you are given a large gift-wrapped box as a birthday present. When youopen it up, it is full of shredded paper with your present hidden in the middle.What happens when you remove your present? e.g. The height of the paper goesdown to fill the space where the present was.
★ Imagine you have a new box of cornflakes. You decide to eat a cupful for breakfast.What happens to the height of the cornflakes in the box when you remove a cupful?Estimate first, then check how many cupfuls there are in one box.
★ Imagine you are planning a party. You need enough drink for 10 people. How manypeople would one bottle serve? How many bottles will you need to buy? Estimate first,then find a way to check. e.g. Pour out a cupful for each person.
★ Form small groups with an activity card for each group. Discuss activities briefly. Findthe equipment you need. Remember to select objects that can get wet without anydamage. Explore different ways to solve your problem. Think of extra activities on thesame topic.
★ Discuss problems and discoveries.
Variation★ You need a bucket, water and the top 6 discussion cards. Turn over the top card,
e.g. 5 saucepans. Where will the water come up to in the bucket when it holds thatamount? Estimate by pouring water into the bucket to a level you think matches the amount shown on the card. Check by taking out the amounts one by one. e.g. Remove 5 saucepans full of water. How close was your estimate?Repeat using the bottom 4 cards for rice.
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Take it out 1You need a clear open container, 3 objectsand water. Place an object in the bottom ofyour container. Fill it with water until the objectis completely covered. Mark the water level.Predict what will happen when you take theobject out. How can you use this to measure size? Place your objects in order of size using theresults. Do your estimates get more accurate?Try this again with completely different objects.
Take it out 2You need 3 large objects, a box and somefoam pellets or shredded paper. Place an object in the bottom of the box. Fill the box with pellets or paper. Predict what will happen when you take theobject out. How can you use this to measure size? Place your objects in order of size using theresults. Do your estimates get more accurate? Try this again with completely different objects.
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Take it out 3You need a full container of rice anda cup. Guess how many cups ofrice there are altogether. Predict thenew level when you pour out onecup of rice each time. Do it again.Do your estimates getmore accurate? Try this again with different shapedcontainers.
Take it out 4You need a cup and a full bottle ofwater. Predict the new level whenyou pour out one cup of water. Do it again.Do your estimates get more accurate? Try this again with different shapedbottles.
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6 cups
3 ice-cream tubs
5 saucepans
8 margarine tubs
10 spoons
4 bowls
2 jugs
1 small bottle
15 matchboxes
6 bags
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Exploring MassLanguage
In this unit, your students will:• Push, pull or carry to compare 2 or more masses (M1-1)
• Use mass language, e.g. heavy, light (M1-2)
• Heft to compare 2 or more masses (M1-3)
• Understand that size is not always related to mass (M1-4)
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Too heavyWhat are you trying to do?★ Push, pull or carry to compare 2 or more masses (M1-1)
★ Use mass language, e.g. heavy, light (M1-2)
★ Understand that size is not always related to mass (M1-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class
What do you need?★ Heavy objects, e.g. bricks, rocks, boxes, bins★ Ropes★ (Optional) Trolley, wheelbarrow★ Too heavy label cards (BLMs pp.53,54)
How do you play?★ What’s the heaviest thing you can think of?
What’s the lightest thing? Discuss ideas together.
★ How do we know how heavy something is? e.g. You can sometimes tell just by looking.
★ How can you take a heavy object from one place to another? Discuss.
★ Walk around your environment together. Identify heavy objects that you mightbe able to move. Can you carry them with one hand? ... with two hands?Can you push them? Can you pull them? Investigate different ways to check ifyou were correct. e.g. Tie a rope around very heavy objects and then try to pullthem. Do you need more than one person? Remember to consider safety factors!
★ How might a wheelbarrow or a trolley help you?
★ Identify the 3 heaviest items you discovered that you could still push or pull.Identify 3 objects that were too heavy to push, or too heavy to pull. Were thelargest objects always the heaviest?
★ Find a way to record your discoveries.
Variations★ Use the label cards to identify pairs of objects around the room or on a display.
e.g.
★ Identify objects around your home that are too heavy for you to push, pull or carrybut not too heavy for an adult to push or pull.
is hard to push
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is easy to push
is easy to pull
is easy to carry
is hard to push
is hard to pull
is hard to carry
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is a lot heavier than
is a little bit heavier than
is as heavy as
is as light as
is a little bit lighter than
is a lot lighter than
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Is it heavier?What are you trying to do?★ Use mass language, e.g. heavy, light (M1-2)
★ Heft to compare 2 or more masses (M1-3)
★ Understand that size is not always related to mass (M1-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups
What do you need?★ A collection of objects (with obviously different masses)
for each group★ An ice-cream container with a lid, a collection of smaller
objects that can each fit inside★ Is it heavier? activity cards (BLM pp.56,57)★ Is it heavier? discussion cards (BLM p.58)
How do you play?★ How accurate are you at estimating heaviness? Ask a friend to place 5 objects on a
table. Without first touching these objects, tell this person how to put the objects intoorder by heaviness.
★ How can you check your guesses? e.g. Place an object in each hand and say whichfeels heavier. This is called ‘hefting’. Does closing your eyes make hefting any easier?Does swapping the objects from one hand to another?
★ Discuss the idea that hefting is only a rough way to check. Sometimes the differencesare so small it is difficult for our hands to feel the difference.
★ Form small groups with an activity card for each group. Collect the equipment you need.
★ Discuss problems and discoveries.
★ Class challenge - Guess what’s inside.
★ Pass around 5 different objects for everyone to feel. Which object is the heaviest? ... the lightest? Secretly place one of these objects into a container and put the lid on.Pass the container around the group. Can everyone guess what’s inside just by feelinghow heavy it is?
Variations★ Shuffle the discussion cards. Turn over the top two cards. Discuss how heavy each
object might feel. Which one is the heavier of the two? Try to find different possibilities.e.g. What if the baby giraffe was a toy? Is it possible to check your estimate?
★ Sort 3 or more discussion cards into order by heaviness.Make up your own set of Is it heavier? discussion cards.
Exploring Volume and Mass 55
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Is it heavier? 1Tell a friend how to sort some objects
from lightest to heaviest without
touching them.
Check your guesses by hefting.
Try this again with another set
of objects.
Is it heavier? 2Find objects which look as though
they are the same size.
Check how heavy each one feels.
Put them into order by heaviness.
Can you find 2 objects with the same
size but one is much heavier than
the other?
Explain your discoveries.
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Exploring Volume and Mass 57
Is it heavier? 3Select an interesting toy.
Feel how heavy it is. Without touching
them, select objects you think are
heavier than this toy.
Then select objects you think are lighter
than this toy.
Find a way to check your guesses.
Try this again with another toy.
Is it heavier? 4Point to two objects that you think
are as heavy as each other.
Check your guesses.
Can you find 2 objects that are as
heavy as each other but one is
much larger?
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Exploring Volume and Mass58
a brick
a bottle of drink
a bed
an apple
a space alien
a kitten
a baby giraffe
a kangaroo
a bunch of celery
a bicycle
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Mystery parcelsWhat are you trying to do?★ Use mass language, e.g. heavy, light (M1-2)
★ Heft to compare 2 or more masses (M1-3)
★ Understand that size is not always related to mass (M1-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups
What do you need?★ Mystery parcels for each group (see Mass Resources p.90)★ Mystery parcels activity cards for each group (BLM p.60)
How do you play?★ Think about your birthday. What’s the heaviest present you’ve ever
received? ... the lightest?
★ Discuss the mystery parcels. Imagine you were given one for your birthday.What might there be inside?
★ Pass the parcels around the class. Heft, shake or rattle each one in turn.What do you notice? e.g. Even though two parcels are the same size, theyare not always the same heaviness. They don’t always have the same mass.
★ How do you know if two parcels have the same mass? e.g. They feel thesame when you heft them on either hand.
★ Form pairs within small groups, with either the bottles, margarine tubs, ice-cream tubs or yoghurt mystery parcels. Shuffle the activity cards. Pass them around to each pair.
★ Swap cards within each group. Can you think of other activities too?
★ Discuss the results together. Which parcel in each set is the heaviest? ... the lightest?
Variation★ Class challenge - Use the Is it heavier? discussion cards (from p.58). Name 3
things in real life that are just a little bit heavier than the object on eachcard. Name 3 things a lot heavier than... a bit lighter than ... much lighterthan each object. Discuss suggestions together.
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Exploring Volume and Mass60
Find
pa
irs o
f
pa
rce
ls w
ith t
he
sam
e m
ass
.
Find
the
hea
vie
st a
nd
the
lig
hte
st
pa
rce
ls.
Put
any
4
pa
rce
ls in
ord
er
from
lig
hte
st
to h
ea
vie
st.
Find
2 p
arc
els
whi
ch
tog
eth
er
fee
l as
hea
vy a
s
ano
the
r pa
rce
l.
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Exploring Volume and Mass 61
Does large mean heavy?What are you trying to do?★ Heft to compare 2 or more masses (M1-3)
★ Understand that size is not always related to mass (M1-4)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups
What do you need?★ A balloon, a beach ball, a cricket ball★ Workbooks, pencils★ Activity cards (BLM p.62)
How do you play?★ Which is heavier - a beach ball or
a cricket ball? Why?
★ Blow up the balloon until it is as large as possible. Which of the 3 objects is the heaviestnow? Which object is the largest? Does a large size always mean heavy? Why?
★ Challenge the class to find objects, from around the room, that are large but light.
★ Pass the objects around so that you can feel and compare them. Who has the largestobject? Who has the lightest object?
★ Challenge everyone to now find an object from around the room that is small but heavy.
★ Pass the objects around so that you can feel and compare them. Who has the smallestobject? Who has the heaviest object?
★ Discuss your results together.
★ Record your favourite discoveries.
Variations★ Work in small groups or pairs with an activity card each. Collect the equipment you
need. Discuss your results and compare objects together.
★ Make a class display or book about your results. Challenge everyone to add changes tothe book as a new item that fits the criteria is discovered. Collect examples from aroundthe home too.
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Exploring Volume and Mass62
Wha
t’s
the
larg
est o
bje
ct
you
can
disc
over
tha
t fee
ls
light
er th
an
a s
hoe?
Wha
t’s
the
larg
est o
bje
ct y
ou
can
disc
over
tha
t fee
ls a
s
hea
vy a
s a
ca
lcul
ato
r?
Wha
t’s
the
sma
llest
ob
ject
you
can
disc
over
tha
t fee
ls a
s
hea
vy a
s a
larg
e
emp
ty
box
?
Wha
t’s
the
sma
llest
ob
ject
you
can
disc
over
tha
t fee
ls he
avi
er
tha
n a
boo
k?
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Exploring Volume and Mass 63
Using a Balance
In this unit, your students will:• Use an equal arm balance to compare masses (M2-1)
• Predict, interpret actions of an equal arm balance (M2-2)
• Order 3 or more masses by hefting, check using a balance (M2-3)
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Make a balanceWhat are you trying to do?★ Use an equal arm balance to
compare masses (M2-1)
★ Predict, interpret actions of an equal arm balance (M2-2)
★ Order 3 or more masses by hefting, check using a balance (M2-3)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups
What do you need?★ Plank, heavy cylinder, e.g. a car wheel, an empty oil drum ★ Dowel, rulers, coat hangers, buckets, ice-cream/yoghurt tubs, paper/foam
cups, string, cotton, scissors★ A pan, bucket and rocker balance★ Make a balance examples (BLMs pp.65,66)★ Make a balance activity cards (BLM p.67)
How do you play?★ What does it mean when you say something balances? What uses this idea?
e.g. Circus performers, someone riding a bicycle.
★ Discuss seesaws in a playground or park. What do they look like? What dothey do?
★ Discuss the pan, bucket and rocker balances. What can you do with one ofthese? Where do you find them in daily life? e.g. In a grocery or fruit shop.
★ What are other ways to make a balance? Discuss suggestions.★ Form small groups. Challenge each group to design and make their own
balance. The sample cards show 4 different ideas.
★ Explore what happens if you rearrange items on your balance. e.g. Move onepan closer to the centre, add extra masses (... Blu-Tack) on one side.
★ How can you test each balance for accuracy? e.g. Place identical objects ineither side and watch what happens.
Variations★ Use the activity cards in small groups.
★ Make a list or a class book about uses of mass measurers in daily life, e.g. kitchen scales, bathroom scales, spring balances.
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Exploring Volume and Mass 65
Bucket balance
Ice-cream tub balance
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Exploring Volume and Mass66
Coat hanger balance
Yoghurt tub balance
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Loo
k a
t 2
ob
jec
ts o
n a
ba
lanc
e. S
ay
whi
ch
ob
jec
t is
hea
vie
r.
Che
ck
by
heft
ing
.
Wha
t d
o y
ou
notic
e?
Put
3 o
r mo
re o
bje
cts
into
ord
er b
y he
avi
ness
.
He
ft fi
rst,
the
n us
e a
ba
lanc
e
to c
hec
k.
Wha
t d
o y
ou
notic
e?
He
ft 2
ob
jec
ts. P
red
ict,
the
n c
hec
k, w
hat
will
hap
pe
n to
ea
ch
side
whe
n yo
u p
lac
e t
hem
on
a b
ala
nce
. Wha
t
do
yo
u no
tice
?
He
ft o
bje
cts
to
find
2
whi
ch
you
thin
k ha
ve
the
sa
me
ma
ss.
Che
ck
with
a b
ala
nce
.
Wha
t d
o y
ou
notic
e?
Exploring Volume and Mass 67
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Exploring Volume and Mass68
Grocery detectiveWhat are you trying to do?★ Predict, interpret actions of an
equal arm balance (M2-2)
★ Order 3 or more masses by hefting, check using a balance (M2-3)
How many can play?★ Small groups
What do you need?★ Grocery items, e.g. cans, bottles, boxes★ Balances★ Blindfolds★ Grocery pictures (BLM p.69)★ Workbook, pencils, scissors, paste
How do you play?★ What do you think is as heavy as this can? Why?
★ Pass around a range of grocery items. Which one feels the heaviest? Whichone feels the lightest? Do any items feel as heavy as each other?
★ Are you a successful grocery detective? In turn, put on the blindfold and place3 groceries in order from lightest to heaviest just by hefting.
★ Remove your blindfold. Check what happens when you use the balance tocompare your groceries.
★ Try this again using more than 3 groceries. How many different items can you successfully place into order by heaviness?
★ Record your discoveries by drawing pictures to show your final order.
Variation★ Instead of drawing, cut out grocery pictures which represent the items you
hefted. Paste these into order of heaviness in a workbook.
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Exploring Volume and Mass70
Vegetable detectiveWhat are you trying to do?★ Predict, interpret actions of an equal
arm balance (M2-2)
★ Order 3 or more masses by hefting, check using a balance (M2-3)
How many can play?★ Small groups
What do you need?★ Vegetables, e.g. potatoes, carrots, pumpkin★ Balances, blindfolds★ Vegetable pictures (BLM p.71)★ Workbook, pencils, scissors, paste★ Classroom pictures (BLM p.72)
How do you play?★ What do you think is heavier - this potato or this carrot? What makes you
think that?
★ Pass around a range of vegetables. Which one feels the heaviest? Which onefeels the lightest? Do any items feel as heavy as each other?
★ Are you a successful vegetable detective? In turn, put on the blindfold andplace 3 vegetables in order from lightest to heaviest just by hefting.
★ Remove your blindfold. Predict then check what happens when you use thebalance to compare your vegies.
★ Try again using more than 3 vegetables. How many different ones can you successfully place into order by heaviness?
Variations★ Record your discoveries by drawing pictures to show your final order. Or cut out
the vegetable pictures which represent the items you hefted and paste theseinto order in a workbook.
★ Repeat the above activities using objects from around your classroom. Use thecut-out pictures, or draw your own, to record some of your discoveries.
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Exploring Volume and Mass72
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What balances it?What are you trying to do?★ Use an equal arm balance to
compare masses (M2-1)
★ Predict, interpret actions of an equal arm balance (M2-2)
How many can play?★ Whole class, small groups
What do you need?★ Balances★ Collections of light to heavy objects★ Containers of informal mass units★ Paper or workbooks, pencils★ What balances it? activity cards (BLM p.74)★ What balances it? recording sheets (BLMs pp.75,76)
How do you play?★ How do you know if 2 things balance each other?
★ Revise how to test an empty balance for accuracy. Demonstrate how to make eachside equal, e.g. pull one bucket closer to the centre.
★ Find 2 objects you think have the same mass, e.g. a toy and a book. Predict, thencheck what happens to each side when you use a balance.
★ What lighter objects balance one of these objects? e.g. How many bolts balancethe toy? How many shells? Guess first then check.
★ What if you have 4 pine cones in one side? What will balance these? Guess first thencheck, e.g. 14 pencils.
★ Form small groups with an activity card for each group. Check your balances foraccuracy.
★ Rotate activities after a time limit.
★ Record your favourite discoveries.
Variation★ Use the What balances it? recording sheets. Predict first then check.
Exploring Volume and Mass 73
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Exploring Volume and Mass74
Pla
ce
a h
ea
vy o
bje
ct
on
on
e s
ide
. Ho
w m
an
y lig
hte
ro
bje
cts
ba
lan
ce
th
e h
ea
vyo
ne
? H
ow
ma
ny
sets
ca
nyo
u f
ind
with
in t
he
tim
elim
it?
Bala
nc
e s
ets
of
he
avy
ob
jec
ts. I
f th
ere
are
th
ree
on
on
e s
ide
ho
w m
an
y o
nth
e o
the
r? If
th
ere
are
fo
ur
on
on
e s
ide
ho
w m
an
y o
n t
he
oth
er?
Fin
d t
wo
ob
jec
ts t
ha
tb
ala
nc
e e
ac
h o
the
r.H
ow
ma
ny
pa
irs c
an
you
fin
d w
ithin
th
etim
e li
mit?
Fin
d d
iffe
ren
t th
ing
s to
ba
lan
ce
on
e t
hin
g, e
.g. o
ne
sta
ple
r b
ala
nc
ed
by
40 b
loc
ks o
r a
sm
all
bo
ok.
H
ow
ma
ny
ca
n y
ou
fin
d
with
in t
he
tim
e li
mit?
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Exploring Volume and Mass 75
What balances it?
5 bolts
10 matchsticks
6 buttons
1 toy
4 blocks
What balances it?
12 pieces of chalk
9 shells
14 tiles
1 pine cone
7 cotton reels
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2 cups of rice
1 tub of pasta
3 eggcups of water
5 lidfuls of water
10 spoons of beans
1 rock
4 small books
7 pencils
11 buttons
15 paperclips
What balances it?
What balances it?
Exploring Volume and Mass76
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Exploring Volume and Mass 77
Using Informal Mass Units
In this unit, your students will:• Use informal units to estimate, measure mass (M3-1)
• Select an appropriate informal unit to measure mass (M3-2)
• Record mass measurements using tallying (M3-3)
• Order 3 or more masses using informal units (M3-4)
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Exploring Volume and Mass78
Balance itWhat are you trying to do?★ Use informal units to estimate,
measure mass (M3-1)
★ Select an appropriate informal unit to measure mass (M3-2)
★ Record mass measurements using tallying (M3-3)
How many can play?★ Pairs
What do you need?★ A balance★ A small toy★ Bottle tops★ Dice
How do you play?★ How do you know when something feels as heavy as another thing? How can
you check? e.g. You can heft, then check using a balance.
★ How heavy does this toy feel? e.g lighter than that book, heavier than a pair ofscissors. How heavy is a handful of counters? Estimate how many counters you’llneed to balance the toy.
★ Revise how to check a balance for accuracy.
★ Place the toy in one side of the balance.
★ In turn, throw the dice, add the numbers on your dice and place a matchingnumber of counters into the other pan.
★ The winner is the player whose counters finally balance the toy.
★ How many counters balanced the toy altogether? Count and record by tallying.Compare this result with your estimate.
Variations★ Place a large heavy object in one side of a bucket balance. Select small heavy
objects to add to the other side after each dice throw, e.g. a brick and bolts.
★ Place a light object in one side of a rocker balance. Select light objects to add tothe other side after each dice throw, e.g. a pair of scissors and buttons.
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Exploring Volume and Mass 79
How many ...?What are you trying to do?★ Use informal units to estimate, measure mass (M3-1)
★ Select an appropriate informal unit to measure mass (M3-2)
★ Record mass measurements using tallying (M3-3)
How many can play?★ Small groups
What do you need?★ Balances★ Informal mass units, e.g. large shells, marbles, paddle-pop sticks★ Small, medium, large objects★ Pencils, workbooks★ Informal units cards copied onto red paper (BLM p.80)★ Objects cards copied onto yellow paper (BLM p.81)
How do you play?★ One way to measure the heaviness of an object is to find out how many smaller
objects balance it.
★ How many shells do you think will balance this book? Discuss then check.
★ What else could you try to balance the book with? Could you try buttons? e.g. They may be too light, you might need too many. Could you try rocks? e.g. They may be too heavy. Justify your suggestions. When you measure themass of an object try to use a suitable smaller object as a unit.
★ Revise how to use tally marks to keep count of your units.
★ Form small groups. Explore different ways to measure the mass of an objectusing informal units. e.g. Group A may use heavy objects and a bucket balance. Group B may use very light objects and a rocker balance. Group Cmay use medium objects. Group D may explore continuous materials like cupsof water or rice to balance an object.
★ Discuss discoveries and problems together. Record your most interesting ones.
Variations★ Shuffle the Units cards and turn over the top card. Shuffle the Objects cards
and turn over the top card, e.g. rocks and an apple. Are rocks suitable units?Why? Why not? Estimate how many units you will need to balance the object.
★ Make your own cards, based on objects available in your classroom.
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Exploring Volume and Mass80
large wooden blocks
different size rocks
bathroom tiles
bottle tops
paperclips
marbles
cotton reels
shells (different sizes,shapes)
pine cones
building blocks
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Exploring Volume and Mass 81
apple
school cap
banana
brick
pencil
shoe
orange
toy
garbage bin
book
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Exploring Volume and Mass82
Unit detectivesWhat are you trying to do?★ Select an appropriate informal unit to measure mass (M3-2)
★ Order 3 or more masses using informal units (M3-4)
How many can play?★ Small groups, pairs
What do you need?★ Balances★ Objects, e.g. classroom items, fruit, vegetables★ Four sets of informal units, e.g. bottle tops, pebbles, bolts, shells★ Unit detectives recording sheets (BLM p.83)
How do you play?★ How does comparing the number of informal units used to balance an object, allow
you to order objects by mass?
★ Discuss the 4 available units to use as mass measures, e.g. bottle tops are light, boltsare quite heavy.
★ Check your balances for accuracy.
★ In your group, work with a partner. Select 4 different items to measure. How heavydoes each object feel?
★ Select one item and a unit to measure it with, e.g. an apple and pegs. Estimatehow many of this unit you’ll need to balance your object then check using theselected unit.
★ Repeat using a different object and a different unit each time.
★ Record your discoveries on the worksheet.
★ You’re now ready to become a Unit Detective. Ask all the other pairs in your groupto reveal their records. Select one of the units used, e.g. bottle tops. Try to work outthe order of heaviness of the objects measured with bottle tops, just by looking atthe written results.
★ Check using a balance pan.
Variations★ Estimate then measure a variety of objects with the same unit. Do your estimates
get closer with practice?
★ Class challenge: Who is the Champion Estimator? Are you better at estimating withlight, medium or heavy units?
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Exploring Volume and Mass 83
Unit detectives
My object My unit My estimate The actual measure
Unit detectives
My object My unit My estimate The actual measure
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Kangas What are you trying to do?★ Record mass measurements using tallying (M3-3)
★ Solve problems using mass concepts★ Use informal mass units in a game
How many can play?★ Small groups
What do you need?★ Animal sanctuary playing board (BLM p.85)★ Kangas spinners (BLM p.86)★ Dice, pencils, paper, counters
How do you play?★ Which Australian animal would be the heaviest? Which one would be
the lightest? Why?
★ Imagine your family has built an animal sanctuary. What type of animalscould you collect there?
★ You’ve decided to find the mass of each animal using a special unitcalled a ‘kanga’. How heavy might this be? Discuss suggestions.
★ You can play an animal sanctuary game using kangas. The playing board shows you how many kangas balance each animal you’d like tocollect. Spin the spinner and keep a tally of how many kangas you havealtogether. When you have enough to match an animal, you can circle it.That means you’ve added this animal to your sanctuary.
★ You can collect more than one of each animal.
★ At the end of the game, discuss your results. Who has the sanctuary withthe most animals? Which player’s animals have the most mass altogether?
Variation★ Invent your own informal mass units. Make up a different game using
these in some way.
Exploring Volume and Mass84
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Exploring Volume and Mass 85
5 kangas
1 kanga
30 kangas
10 kangas
40 kangas
5 and a half kangas
8 kangas
1 and a half kangas1 and a half kangas
echidna wombat koala
platypus snake tasmanian devil
bandicoot kangaroo possum
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Exploring Volume and Mass86
KangasSpinners
halfa kanga
1
kanga3kangas
2 ka
ngas
5 kangas10
kangas
halfa kanga
1
kanga3
kangas
2 ka
ngas
5 kangas10
kangasCopy onto cardboard,cut out, place matchthrough centre.
Copy onto cardboard,cut out, place matchthrough centre.
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© Blake Education 978 1 86509 224 9 Exploring Maths - Measurement - Exploring Volume and Mass
Exploring Volume and Mass 87
Fat catsWhat are you trying to do?★ Solve problems using mass concepts★ Work cooperatively as a team
How many can play?★ Pairs or small groups
What do you need?★ Fat cats problem (BLM p.88 - cut into 6 strips)
How do you play?★ Discuss your pets. Would your pet be the heaviest? Why?
Whose pet would be the lightest? Why?
★ Imagine you are a vet. You have to give medicine according to howheavy each animal is. A customer comes in with four very fat cats.How could you put them in order according to heaviness? Discuss suggestions.
★ Look at the Fat cats problem. The strips tell you a story. Discuss theproblem in your own words. How can you work out your answer?
★ Work together to find a solution. What different strategies do you use?
★ Check your solution against each statement.
★ When you are convinced your solution is correct, see if you can discover another possibility.
Variation★ Invent your own problem about heavy animals for another team
to solve. Try to make it have more than one solution.
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© Blake Education 978 1 86509 224 9 Exploring Maths - Measurement - Exploring Volume and Mass
Exploring Volume and Mass88
There are four fat cats.
The cats’ names are Tom, Ming, Sam and Puss.
Tom is heavier than Ming.
Puss is not the lightest.
Sam is lighter than Ming.
Which cat is the heaviest?
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© Blake Education 978 1 86509 224 9 Exploring Maths - Measurement - Exploring Volume and Mass
Exploring Volume and Mass 89
Essential Volume ResourcesBoxes/cartonsAbout 30 mixed size, shape boxes stored in a large, clearly labelled,plastic container that can be carried by 2 students,e.g. cereal packets, matchboxes, chocolate boxes, shoe boxes,milk cartons.
ContainersAbout 30 mixed size, shape containers in a large, clearly labelled,plastic container that can be carried by 2 students,e.g. drink bottles, shampoo/detergent bottles, washing-up bowls,buckets, pots and pans.
Measuring equipmentIn a large, clearly labelled, plastic container,e.g. funnels, plastic tubing, sponges, sieves, cups, spoons (teaspoons, tablespoons), scoops.
Packing resources, informal volume unitsIn a large clearly labelled, plastic container,e.g. large, small foam blocks, balls, building blocks (e.g. multilink, wooden cubes, DUPLO 4-stud bricks), dried beans,rice, pasta.
Other resourcese.g. balloons, plasticine, playdough,washing-up bowls, buckets.
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Exploring Volume and Mass90
Essential Mass ResourcesInformal mass units(in clear plastic containers with lids)e.g. Light paddle-pop sticks buttons cotton balls
bottle tops tiny shells dried beans pastametal washers beads paperclips
Medium small shells pegs marbles plastic cubespebbles cotton reels bear counters farm animals
Heavy bolts blocks large shells large tilespine cones rocks ball bearings
Grocery items(in a large storage box)e.g. cans, bottles, jars, cartons, boxes ...
Mystery parcelsTo use as informal masses - up to 30 of each, filled with non-perishable items,e.g. sand, pebbles, bottle tops, wrapped in second-hand birthday paper andsecurely fastened with tape.2 litre ice-cream containers, with lids(in 100 gram multiples from 100 g to 1000 g)e.g. 100 g 200 g 300 g
Margarine containers, with lids (in 50 gram multiples from 50 g to 500 g)e.g. 50 g 100 g 150 g
Yoghurt containers, with lids (in 50 gram multiples from 50 g to 500 g)e.g. 50 g 100 g 150 g
Extra heavy objectse.g. brickswooden offcuts
Commercial balancesrocker balancespan balancesbucket balances
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© Blake Education 978 1 86509 224 9 Exploring Maths - Measurement - Exploring Volume and Mass
Exploring Volume and Mass 91
Exploring Volume
V1-1 Observes, discusses the space occupied by objects
V1-2 Fills, empties containers using a variety of materials
V1-3 Packs a variety of objects into defined spaces
V1-4 Uses volume and capacity language e.g. pack, fill, empty
V2-1 Compares, describes 2 or more volumes, capacities
V2-2 Identifies objects with the same volume, capacity
V2-3 Understands that objects with same volume,
capacity may have a different shape
V2-4 Orders 3 or more volumes, capacities
V3-1 Uses informal units to estimate, measure volume, capacity
V3-2 Records volume, capacity measurements using tallying
V3-3 Builds, compares 3D models using informal units
V3-4 Understands that different shapes can have the same volume
V3-5 Orders 3 or more volumes, capacities using informal units
V4-1 Compares volumes by water displacement (rising levels)
V4-2 Compares volumes by water displacement (overflow)
V4-3 Compares volumes by water displacement (falling levels)
V4-4 Understands that volumes stay the same when
broken into smaller parts
Exploring Mass
M1-1 Pushes, pulls, or carries to compare 2 or more masses
M1-2 Uses mass language e.g. heavy, light
M1-3 Hefts to compare 2 or more masses
M1-4 Understands that size is not always related to mass
M2-1 Uses an equal arm balance to compare masses
M2-2 Predicts, interprets actions of an equal arm balance
M2-3 Orders 3 or more masses by hefting, checks using a balance
M3-1 Uses informal units to estimate, measure mass
M3-2 Selects an appropriate informal unit to measure mass
M3-3 Records mass measurements using tallying
M3-4 Orders 3 or more masses using informal units
Outcome IndicatorsRecord SheetEXPLORING VOLUME
NA
ME
capacity may have a different shape
broken into smaller parts
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Exploring Volume and Mass92
Mathematics Topics for 5 year oldsWeek Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 41 Prenumber Exploring 5 Chance/Data Chance/Data2 Prenumber Length Exploring 9 Early Fractions3 Space: 3D Exploring 6 Space: Position Length4 Exploring 1 Time Exploring 0 Early +/-5 Space: 3D Exploring 7 Space: 3D Area6 Exploring 2 Mass Space: 2D Time7 Space: 2D Temperature Time Mass/Volume8 Exploring 3 Exploring 8 Exploring 10 Space: Position9 Space: 2D Money Volume Number Revision
10 Exploring 4 Revision Revision Measurement Revision
Mathematics Topics for 6 year oldsWeek Term 11 Revisiting 0-92 3D Space3 Length4 Exploring +/-5 2D Space6 Volume7 Exploring 10-908 Mass9 Time
10 Revision
Sample Yearly Mathematics Topics
Term 2 Term 3 Term 4Exploring 11-19 Revision 0-20 Exploring 0-503D Space 2D Space 3D SpaceLength Area Chance/DataExploring +/- Exploring +/- Exploring +/-Money Position 2D SpaceVolume Time PositionExploring x Exploring x Exploring ÷Mass Temperature Measurement RevisionFractions Fractions Number RevisionRevision Revision Space Revision
Mathematics Topics for 7 year oldsWeek Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 41 Revisiting 0-20 Exploring 0-99 Exploring 0-99 Exploring 1002 3D Space 3D Space 2D Space Time3 Exploring +/- Exploring +/- Exploring +/- Exploring +/-4 Length Area Length 2D Space5 2D Space Fractions Exploring x Exploring x6 Volume Mass Temperature Volume7 Revisiting 10-90 Exploring x Exploring ÷ Exploring ÷8 Time Money Chance/Data Measurement Revision9 Exploring x Position Fractions Number Revision
10 Revision Revision Revision Space Revision
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© Blake Education 978 1 86509 224 9 Exploring Maths - Measurement - Exploring Volume and Mass
Exploring Volume and Mass 93
• Re
vise
wee
k’s
activ
ities
.
• D
iscu
ss t
he f
aste
st
way
to
fill a
con
tain
erw
ith w
ater
.
• W
hole
cla
ss o
utdo
orte
am g
ame:
Ra
ce a
way
1.
• W
hole
cla
ss o
utdo
orte
am g
ame:
Ra
ce a
way
2.
• W
hole
cla
ss:
D
iscu
ss r
esul
ts.
Idea
s fo
r al
tern
ate
gam
es.
RES
OU
RC
ES
Cla
ssro
om o
bjec
ts
BLM
s pp
.19,
20
Wor
kboo
ks
Vario
us c
onta
iner
s, w
ater
Volu
me
mea
surin
g eq
uipm
ent
Pack
ing
reso
urce
s BL
Ms
pp.2
2,23
Buck
ets,
bot
tles,
box
es,
spon
ges
Wat
er, b
alls
, blo
cks
Volu
me
mea
surin
g eq
uipm
ent
BLM
s pp
.24,
25
Con
tain
ers
Wat
er, r
ice,
mar
bles
, bl
ocks
Plas
ticin
eBL
M p
.27
For
each
tea
m:
Wat
er, c
up, f
unne
l,A
larg
e co
ntai
ner
Sam
ple
Wee
kly
Prog
ram
STR
AN
DM
easu
rem
ent
SU
BST
RA
ND
Volu
me
-C
omp
arin
g vo
lum
esG
RA
DE
1
TER
M
1
WEE
K6
OU
TCO
MES
• C
omp
ares
, de
scrib
es 2
or
mor
e vo
lum
es,
cap
aciti
es (
V2-1
)•
Iden
tifie
s ob
ject
s w
ith t
he s
ame
volu
me,
cap
acity
(V2
-2)
• U
nder
stan
ds o
bjec
ts w
ith t
he s
ame
volu
me
may
hav
e a
diffe
rent
sha
pe
(V2-
3)
• O
rder
s 3
or m
ore
volu
mes
, ca
pac
ities
(V2
-4)
MO
ND
AY
TUES
DAY
WED
NES
DAY
TH
UR
SDAY
F
RID
AY
• W
hole
cla
ss:
W
hich
is la
rger
?
Dis
cuss
siz
e an
d ho
w m
uch
spac
e an
ob
ject
occ
upie
s.
• Pa
ir ac
tivity
:
Labe
l obj
ects
aro
und
room
e.g
. ta
kes
upm
uch
less
sp
ace
than
.
• Re
cord
in w
orkb
ooks
.
• W
hole
cla
ss:
D
iscu
ssio
n ca
rds
(e
.g.
wom
bat/
roos
ter)
.
• W
hole
cla
ss:
W
hich
hol
ds m
ore?
Dis
cuss
con
tain
ers
and
how
muc
h th
eyca
n ho
ld.
• Pa
ir ac
tivity
:
Labe
l obj
ects
aro
und
room
, e.
g. h
olds
abo
utas
muc
h as
.
• Re
cord
in w
orkb
ooks
.
• W
hole
cla
ss:
D
iscu
ssio
n ca
rds
(e.
g.sc
hool
bag
/pap
er b
ag).
• W
hole
cla
ss:
W
hich
hol
ds m
ore?
Dis
cuss
way
s to
pla
ce 3
cont
aine
rs in
ord
er.
• Ro
tatin
g gr
oup
act
iviti
es:
Whi
ch h
olds
mor
e?
A:
Bott
les
B:
Sp
onge
s
C:
Buck
ets
D
: Bo
xes
• W
hole
cla
ss:
D
iscu
ssio
n ca
rds
(e
.g.
stor
eroo
m/t
ruck
).
• W
hole
cla
ss:
Fi
nd a
pai
r.
Dis
cuss
con
tain
ers
whi
chlo
ok d
iffer
ent
but
hold
the
sam
e am
ount
.
• Ro
tatin
g gr
oup
act
iviti
es:
Find
a p
air.
A
: Ri
ce
B: M
arbl
es
C:
Wat
er
D:
Bloc
ks
•W
hole
cla
ss:
D
iscu
ssio
n ca
rds.
LAN
GU
AG
E•
this
tak
es u
p a
litt
le m
ore
spac
e th
an .
.. •
this
tak
es u
p m
uch
less
sp
ace
than
...
• th
is h
olds
as
muc
h as
...
• th
is is
larg
er t
han
...
• th
is is
sm
alle
r th
an .
.. •
this
is t
he la
rges
t, s
mal
lest
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© Blake Education 978 1 86509 224 9 Exploring Maths - Measurement - Exploring Volume and Mass
Exploring Volume and Mass94
•
Revi
se w
eek’
s ac
tiviti
es.
•
Che
ck b
alan
ces
for
accu
racy
.
•
Gro
up a
ctiv
ity:
U
nit
dete
ctiv
es.
•
Estim
ate,
mea
sure
, co
mp
are
mas
s of
obj
ects
usi
ng
info
rmal
uni
ts.
•
Reco
rd o
n w
orks
heet
.
•
Cla
ss c
halle
nge:
W
ho is
the
bes
t es
timat
or u
sing
in
form
al u
nits
? -
light
, m
ediu
m,
heav
y.
RES
OU
RC
ES
Vario
us b
alan
ces
Dic
e, in
form
al u
nits
, obj
ects
Wor
kboo
ks
Vario
us b
alan
ces
Info
rmal
mas
s un
its
Smal
l, m
ediu
m, l
arge
obj
ects
Vario
us b
alan
ces
Info
rmal
mas
s un
its
Smal
l, m
ediu
m,
larg
e ob
ject
sBL
Ms
pp.8
0,81
Vario
us b
alan
ces
Info
rmal
mas
s un
its
Frui
t, v
eget
able
s
Vario
us b
alan
ces
Info
rmal
mas
s un
its
Frui
t, v
eget
able
sBL
M p
.83
Sam
ple
Wee
kly
Prog
ram
STR
AN
DM
easu
rem
ent
SU
BST
RA
ND
Mas
s -
Usi
ng In
form
al U
nits
GR
AD
E2
TE
RM
2
W
EEK
6
OU
TCO
MES
• U
ses
info
rmal
uni
ts t
o es
timat
e, m
easu
re m
ass
(M3-
1)
• S
elec
ts a
n ap
pro
pria
te u
nit
to m
easu
re m
ass
(M3-
2)•
Rec
ords
mas
s m
easu
rem
ents
usi
ng t
ally
ing
(M3-
3)•
Ord
ers
3 or
mor
e m
asse
s us
ing
info
rmal
uni
ts (
M3-
4)
MO
ND
AY
TUES
DAY
WED
NES
DAY
TH
UR
SDAY
F
RID
AY
• W
hole
cla
ss:
D
iscu
ss h
ow y
ou k
now
so
met
hing
is a
s he
avy
as
anot
her
thin
g.
• Re
vise
how
to
chec
k a
bala
nce
for
accu
racy
.
• Pa
ir ac
tivity
:
Find
pai
rs o
f ob
ject
s w
hich
bal
ance
ea
ch o
ther
.
• Pa
ir ga
me:
Bala
nce
it.
• W
hole
cla
ss:
H
ow m
any
...?
D
iscu
ss u
sing
info
rmal
un
its t
o ba
lanc
e an
d co
mp
are
obje
cts.
• D
iscu
ss li
ght,
med
ium
and
heav
y un
its.
Whe
n w
ould
eac
h be
ap
pro
pria
te?
• G
roup
act
iviti
es:
A
: he
avy
obje
cts
B:
ligh
t ob
ject
s
C:
med
ium
mas
s ob
ject
sD
: cu
ps
of w
ater
, ric
e.
• R
otat
e gr
oup
s on
ce.
•
Who
le c
lass
:
How
man
y ...
?
Dis
cuss
ion
card
s.
e.g.
Est
imat
e ho
w m
any
tiles
to
bala
nce
a ba
nana
.
•
Gro
up a
ctiv
ities
:
A:
med
ium
mas
s ob
ject
sB:
cup
s of
wat
er,
rice
C
: he
avy
obje
cts
D
: lig
ht o
bjec
ts.
• Ro
tate
gro
ups
once
.
• Re
cord
bes
t di
scov
erie
sin
wor
kboo
ks.
•
Who
le c
lass
:
How
man
y ...
?
Dis
cuss
ion
card
s.
e.g.
Est
imat
e nu
mbe
r of
pap
ercl
ips
to b
alan
ce a
sh
oe.
Is t
his
a su
itabl
eun
it? W
hy?
•
Gro
up a
ctiv
ities
:
Find
2 o
bjec
ts t
hat
bala
nce
the
sam
e nu
mbe
rof
uni
ts
A
: ve
geta
bles
B:
fru
it
C:
vege
tabl
es
D:
frui
t.
•
Rota
te g
roup
s on
ce.
•
Reco
rd b
est
disc
over
ies
in w
orkb
ooks
.
LAN
GU
AG
E•
thi
s is
hea
vier
, lig
hter
tha
n ...
•
thi
s is
as
heav
y as
, as
ligh
t as
...
• t
his
is t
he li
ghte
st,
the
heav
iest
•
thi
s ha
s th
e sa
me
mas
s as
• t
his
mas
s is
bal
ance
d by
...
9224X_0704R1_p91-94 10/18/04 12:11 PM Page 94
© Blake Education 978 1 86509 224 9 Exploring Maths - Measurement - Exploring Volume and Mass
E X P L O R I N G M A T H S
NUMBER Exploring 1-5Exploring 6-10Games and Activities for 0-10Exploring 0-50 NumerationExploring 0-50 Operations
Numbers to 50 Picture PackExploring 0-100 NumerationExploring 0-100 OperationsExploring Calculators Exploring FractionsExploring Money
MEASUREMENTExploring Length/AreaExploring Volume/MassExploring Temperature/Time
EXPLORING VOLUME AND MASS MEASUREMENT LOWER PRIMARY
About the authorOriginally a primary school teacher, Bev Dunbar is now actively involved in teacher education as a Mathematics Consultant and University Lecturer in Mathematics Education.
Bev is a passionate believer in fun, practical resources which help teachers make maths lessons a highlight of the day.
• Seven carefully sequenced units whichdevelop skills in practical measurement
• Over 25 activity-based, easy-to-useteaching ideas
• A sample yearly maths overview • Two sample weekly programs • Useful activity cards for independent
small group work
• An outcome indicators record forassessing individual progress
• Over 50 blackline masters
In fact, almost everything you need to explore volume and mass in your classroom.
Titles in the Exploring Maths series
The Exploring Maths series is designed to provide busy teacherswith practical resources that are mathematically up-to-date, fun andeasy to use. Each book contains a wealth of activities, blackline mastersand assessment tasks for a whole life-time of teaching. These activitiesencourage your children to think mathematically by exploring, experimenting, being creative and taking risks. By asking questions andactive discovery, children learn to enjoy using mathematics as part oftheir everyday lives.
Exploring Volume and Mass includes:
E X P L O R I N G M A T H S
Activities,blackline masters & assessment pages that are fun and
easy to use
BevDunbar
EXPLORINGEXPLORING
VolumeMass
ISBN 1-86509-224-X
9
781865 092249
and
M e a s u r e m e n T L O W E R P R I M A R Y 2
COVER, Volume/Mass 9/30/04 9:08 AM Page 2