Does It Matter? A Mathematical Investigation of Weight and Mass

2 Engage Objects have attributes and properties that can be measured. Objects have attributes and properties that can be measured.

3 Engage KWL Chart -- Mass What I KNOW What I WANT to Know What I LEARNED What do I Know (or think that I Know)?  Brainstorm, generate, activate prior knowledge W stands for what I Want to learn.  Question, predict, set purpose L stands for what I Learned.  Review, reflect, confirm

4 Engage KWL Chart -- Weight What I KNOW What I WANT to Know What I LEARNED What do I Know (or think that I Know)?  Brainstorm, generate, activate prior knowledge W stands for what I Want to learn.  Question, predict, set purpose L stands for what I Learned.  Review, reflect, confirm

5 Explore  What can we do to make this table move?  Would it be easier to move the table or this pencil? Why?  Which would require more force to make it move, the table or the pencil? Keep these ideas in mind as we do the next activity….

6 Explore  Examine the materials in the bag on your table.  Design and conduct a fair test to answer this key question: How far will the golf ball move each of the gelatin boxes? How far will the golf ball move each of the gelatin boxes?

7 Explore  Conduct 3 trials with each gelatin box.  Record results to the nearest cm and average the results for each box.

8 Sharing Time

9 Explain  Mass  Mass is the amount of matter (stuff) in an object.  Using the word “mass,” explain why it would be harder to move the table….

10 Explain  A balance is a tool/instrument used to measure mass.  An object’s mass is determined by balancing it with objects of known mass.  In the SI (metric) system, units of mass include the kilogram, gram, and milligram.

11 Explore  What is the mass of each gelatin box?  Work as a team to predict and then determine the mass of each box. Use at least two of the types of mass sets.

12 Sharing Time

13 Elaborate

14 Elaborate A force (________) causes the object (________) to accelerate (________). An object’s mass is a measure of its inertia or “unwillingness to move.” The full box of gelatin has more ____ or ____ than the empty box. The more mass something has, the harder it is to accelerate or move. The full box with more ­­­_____ is harder to _____. The amount of force needed to accelerate an object is directly proportional to the object’s mass. (More, Less) force is needed to move the box with (more, less) mass. The amount of acceleration is inversely proportional to the object’s mass. The box with (more, less) mass moves (more, less).

15 Elaborate  Mass is constant and does not change with location.

16 KWL Chart – Mass Reflection & Closure At your table, discuss…  What you’ve learned about mass.  Any misconceptions regarding mass.  What questions you still have about mass.  Be ready to share.

17 Materials Management  Organize the materials from this activity.  Straighten your tables.  Secure the materials for Part 2: What Does a Kilogram Weigh?

18 Explore  “What Does a Kilogram Weigh?”  Work together as a team.  Fill your freezer bag with approximately 1 kilogram of the material provided.

19 Explore  Use a pan balance to check your estimates.  Adjust the contents of your bag to create a more accurate mass of 1 kg.

20 Explore  Hang your kilogram bag on the spring scale.  Read the results to the nearest N.

21 Explain  A spring scale measures weight – the force of gravity acting on an object.  The SI (metric) unit for weight is the newton (N).

22 Explore  Use the input/output table to record the weights of 1 kg, 2 kg, 4 kg, etc… How Much Does a Kilogram Weigh? Input Number of kilograms (kg) ProcessOutput Number of newtons (N)

23 Explore  Will the full box (with more mass) weigh more?  Use the spring scale to weigh each box.

24 Explain  Mass and weight are proportional.

25 Elaborate  Weighing the Baby Food Jar – Out of Water  Record the weight in newtons to the nearest tenth

26 Elaborate  Weighing the Baby Food Jar – Under Water  Record the weight in newtons to the nearest tenth

27 Elaborate Out of Water Under Water Determining the Mass of the Baby Food Jar

28 KWL Chart – Weight Reflection & Closure At your table, discuss…  What you’ve learned about weight.  Any misconceptions regarding weight.  What questions you still have about weight.  Be ready to share.

29 Closure  Mass is a fundamental property of matter and is not dependent upon location.  Weight is a measure of gravitational force and therefore varies with location.  Both the SI (metric) and customary systems have units of mass and weight.

30 Check for Understanding  The weatherman has predicted flooding, and you have gone to buy bags of sand to stem the flow of water.  You have to lift the bags of sand into the back of your truck.  The roads are very wet. The bags of sand in the back help to keep the truck from hydroplaning.  However, you are going too fast and your truck runs off the road into a muddy ditch. Now you are going to have to get help to push or pull the truck out of the ditch. Have participants determine whether the statements below exhibit a concern about weight or mass:

31 Materials Management  Organize and return the materials from this activity.  Straighten your tables.  Throw away trash.

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