Mass and Volume

Thinking About the Properties of Matter Task #1: In your science notebook, please write your current understanding of what each of these words means. We want to know what you think now, so please do this on your own. Mass Volume Task #2: Now we will pool our understanding of these words. In your group, divide your poster paper in half, and put one term in each half. For each property of matter: A. Describe your understanding of what it means in science B. Illustrate your understanding with a diagram, picture or other representation. Task #3: Put your poster up on the wall. Each member of your group will take 6 pink, 6 green and 6 yellow post-its. Look at 6 posters from other groups. • If you agree with something, post a green post-it next to the thing you agree with. • If you disagree with something, write your reason on a pink post-it and post it next to the thing you disagree with. • If you have a question, write it on a yellow post-it and put it on the poster. Mass and Volume Mass is how much stuff something is made of. Volume is how much space an object takes up. 1. You have a box full of objects. a. Find two objects with similar MASS. What makes you think their masses are almost the same? b. Find two objects with similar VOLUME. What makes you think their volumes are almost the same? c. Consider the two balloons. Does either of them have mass? Does either of them have volume? d. Now consider an imaginary box in the air, one meter on each side. Does the air contained in the box have mass? Does it have volume? Explain your thinking here: e. Consider your beaker. Pretend we put this beaker in a box, then suck all the air out of the box. Would the mass of the beaker change? Explain your thinking here: 2. In your science notebook, write your version of the definition of mass and volume. This should not be a definition from a book you have read, or from a class you had – it should be your working definition in your own words. Mass is Volume is 3. After the group discussion, decide if you are happy with your definition. If not, revise your definition. 4. Reading about children’s ideas on volume. Read the text silently to yourself. Please mark the text as you go: • Put an exclamation point !! next to parts you found especially important • Put a question mark ?? next to parts you did not fully understand or that you have questions about. • Put an asterisk *** next to things you would like to know more about. Then we will process the reading by using Talking Stick. • Everyone puts a pen in the middle of the group. • In order to speak, you must pick up your pen and hold it while you talk. You may only speak while you are holding your pen. Then put it in front of you (NOT back in the middle). • Talk continues until all the pens are out of the middle. Then put the pens back in the center and do another round of Talking Stick. When it’s your turn to talk, choose one of the items you marked, and tell the group why you marked it that way. 5. Suppose a child asks you the difference between mass and volume. Think of an example that illustrates the difference. Talk to your partner about it. Then describe it in your notebook. Measuring Mass and Volume 1. Measuring mass: Scientists measure the mass of an object by comparing its mass to a known mass. Scientists do that with an instrument called a balance. We will be using a scale instead, which measures the weight of an object, and determines the mass from the weight. We are using scales for expediency, and because we think you will have more access to scales than balances. 2. Measuring volume. We’ll measure volume by displacement. • Fill a graduated cylinder with a precise amount of water. • Put the object in the water. Be sure it is completely submerged. • Observe the volume of the water plus object combined. • Subtract the volume of water to find the volume of the object. 3. Estimating and measuring mass and volume. A. Choose five objects from your box to put in order from smallest to largest mass by estimating. Measure the masses to see if you were right. B. Choose five objects from your box to put in order from smallest to largest volume by estimating. Measure the volumes to see if you were right. Teacher Notes: Notebooking Essences used: Prior Knowledge-current understanding Data Collection-measuring Sense Making-answering questions Metacognition-revising definitions Crosscutting: Scale, Proportion, and Quantity S and E Practices: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking Developing and Using Models