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Measure and Estimate Mass

Students will use a balance scale or digital scale to measure the mass of objects in grams and kilograms. They will also practice making reasonable estimates for the mass of objects before measuring, using benchmark references.

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Measure and Estimate Mass

Grade 3 · Liquid Volume & Mass Measurement · question 1 of 3

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12 rungs. A star at the top.

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What does the scale read, in kilograms?

Read the scale.

How it is taught

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Mass is how much matter an object has.

Grams and kilograms are the units we use.

Read it: Read the scale

The numbers on this scale go 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 kilograms. The pointer stops 2 small marks past 10, so it reads 12 kg.

  1. Find how much the numbers go up by: 5 kg.
  2. Find what each small mark is worth: 1 kg.
  3. Start at the number before the pointer and count on the small marks: 10, 11, 12.

A scale does not print every number, so the small marks fill in the rest.

Every small mark between two numbers is worth the same amount.

Counting on from the number before the pointer lands you on the reading.

Know what each number and each small mark is worth, then count to the pointer.

Reading 10 kg, the number just before the pointer, and stopping there.

The pointer is past 10. Count the small marks on: 11, 12. It reads 12 kg.

A scale is numbered 0, 10, 20, 30 kg. Each small mark is 2 kg. The pointer is 3 small marks past 20. How many kilograms? — 26. Start at 20 and count on 3 marks of 2: 22, 24, 26.

Estimating and measuring the mass of an apple

Today we'll measure mass — how heavy something is. Let's start with one apple.

We measure mass in grams and kilograms. A paperclip is about one gram. A textbook is about one kilogram.

So an apple feels heavier than a paperclip, but much lighter than a textbook. It's measured in grams.

Let's estimate first. A good guess for one apple is about one hundred fifty grams.

Now let's check using a balance scale. We place the apple on one side.

On the other side we add gram weights until the scale is balanced.

The scale balances at one hundred sixty grams. That's our measurement.

Our estimate was one hundred fifty grams. The real mass is one hundred sixty grams — very close!

How heavy is one apple?🍎Mass benchmarkspaperclip≈ 1 gramtextbook≈ 1 kilogram📎📕🍎apple → gramsEstimate first🍎≈ 150 g(my guess)🍎apple⚖️gram weightsBalanced!160 gramsguess: 150 gactual: 160 gMASS160 gone apple🍎Estimate, then measure!
Grade 3 · Grams, kilograms, and good guesses

The apple has a mass of one hundred sixty grams. Estimating first helps us check if our answer makes sense.

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics
Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal
1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now
Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

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