Learning Activities (Draft One)

(link to PowerPoint presentation)

1. Proceed with the PowerPoint presentation with embedded video clips from United Streaming.
PAUSE at questions proposed in the lesson at the top of each slide, discuss and then go on to
information or video clip presented.

2. If using video clips only, use the printed Powerpoint questions as a FOCUS for each video section.

Learning Activities (Final Publication)

(link to PowerPoint presentation)

1. FOCUS: SAY: "We have started our study of measuring matter. What measurement techniques do you think early civilizations used?" PLAY: A Brief History of Measurement (2:37) STOP. FOLLOW UP: " What ways did you see early civilizations use to measure? A change in Rulers really changed a measurement for his country. How many of you have seen you mother or grandmother measure a piece of material by holding out their arm with the material and measuring to their nose? Now do you understand why they do that?"

2. FOCUS : SAY: "We are going to start our class study with the measurement of mass. Mass is the term we will use in our classroom. Does anyone know the difference between mass and weight? PLAY: Weight versus Mass- What's the Difference? (1:31) STOP. FOLLOW UP: "Now we know that mass is a unit that measures the actual particles that make up everything. This measurement will never change no matter where we are. However when we measure weight, we are really only measuring the pull of gravity on the object and this will change. Things will weigh less on the moon because there is less gravity on the moon.

3. FOCUS: SAY : "What instrument do you use to find your mass?" Wait for class responses. "Would we use the same type of scale to weigh a small washer or a teaspoon of salt?" PLAY: Measuring Mass (:58) STOP. FOLLOW UP: You saw the students using a triple beam balance and an equal arm balance. Which do you think would be easier to use? Why?

Learning Activities (Presentation Version)

(link to PowerPoint presentation)

1. Proceed with the PowerPoint presentation with embedded video clips from United Streaming. PAUSE at questions proposed in the lesson at the top of each slide, discuss and then go on to information or video clip presented. In the listing of slides below, bulleted items from slides are highlighted.
2. Slide 2: What measurement techniques did early civilizations use? FOCUS: SAY: We have started our study of measuring matter. What measurement techniques do you think early civilizations used? PLAY: A Brief History of Measurement (2:37) STOP. FOLLOW UP: What ways did you see early civilizations measure? A change in Rulers really changed measurement for this country. How many of you have seen your mother or grandmother measure a piece of material by holding out their arm with the material and measuring to their nose? Now do you understand why they do that? So, in the video we saw that a standard of measurement was set. Let's consider the following.
3. Continue FOLLOW UP with a period of direct instruction using the slides as guides.
   Slide 3: What are measurement standards? A standard is an exact quantity that everyone agrees to use for comparison purposes. What system does the scientific community use? The scientific community uses an improved version of the metric system called the International System of Units (SI). The abbreviation comes from the French pronunciation Le Systeme International d’Unites. And on what system are SI units based? SI units are based on powers of 10.
4. Slide 4. What does a measurement allow scientists to do? A measurement allows scientists to express observations more precisely. A measurement is made up of two parts: number or numerical value and the unit. WITHOUT BOTH PARTS, the measurement is not complete.
5. Slide 5: What are SI Units? SI Units are Base Units. And what are Base Units? Base Units are what all measurements are based upon.
• The base unit for length is the METER.
• The base unit for mass is the GRAM.
• The base unit for liquid is the LITER.
6. Slide 6: What is the difference between mass and weight? FOCUS : SAY: We are going to start our class study with the measurement of mass. Mass is the term we will use in our classroom. Does anyone know the difference between mass and weight? PLAY: Weight versus Mass- What's the Difference? (1:31) STOP. FOLLOW UP: Now we know that mass is a unit that measures the actual particles that make up everything. This measurement will never change no matter where we are. However when we measure weight, we are really only measuring the pull of gravity on the object and this will change. Things will weigh less on the moon because there is less gravity on the moon.
7. Slide 7: What is Mass? So, what is Mass, then? What does it have to do with matter and gravity? A measurement of how much matter an object contains.
   
8. Slide 8: How do you measure mass? FOCUS: SAY : What instrument do you use to find your mass? Wait for class responses. Would we use the same type of scale to weigh a small washer or a teaspoon of salt? PLAY: Measuring Mass (:58) STOP. FOLLOW UP: You saw the students using a triple beam balance and an equal arm balance. Which do you think would be easier to use? Why?
9. Slide 9: What is weight? Discuss how weight measures gravity's force. Provide some examples, such as we saw in the video clip. Weight is... A measurement of the force of gravity on an object. This measurement will change if you move from Earth to the moon or other planets.
   
10. Slide 10: What have we learned? Review the videoclip in its entirety to recap all that we have discussed. Ask if there are any questions, then proceed to the next activity.
11. FOCUS: SAY: Once again, we saw the use of the triple beam balance and the equal arm balance. We will practice using these two instruments and an electronic balance. What units will we use when we find an answer with any of the instruments? Lead students to the use of gram as the base unit used in measuring mass. Review the prefixes that might be used for both small objects and large objects. Prepare students for the Culminating Activity: You have learned about the need for a universal language in measurement. You have also seen the process for measuring mass with several different instruments. Would it be easier for you to learn the use of these instruments if you had a personal video lesson telling you the precise steps to take in making a measurement? After we practice, your groups will combine to write dialog and make a video that explains the use of one of the pieces of equipment used to measure mass.