Activities to Teach Students to Choose Customary Units of Mass
As students progress through their education, they will inevitably encounter challenges and concepts that require a more in-depth understanding of measurement. One of the most important types of measurement is mass, the amount of matter in an object. When it comes to measuring mass, it’s important for students to understand the concept of customary units of mass.
Customary units of mass are the units of measurement used in the United States to measure weight or mass. These units include ounces, pounds, and tons. Teaching students to choose customary units of mass is an essential task, and educators can make it fun and engaging with the following activities:
1. Mass Scavenger Hunt
A mass scavenger hunt is a fun way to get students moving while teaching them about customary units of mass. Divide the class into teams and give each team a list of items that they must find within a certain amount of time. The items should vary in weight and be labeled with the units of measure they should be measured in. The team that correctly measures the most items wins.
2. Weight Guessing Game
In this activity, teachers can bring in a variety of objects with different masses, and students have to guess the weight of each object. Once the weight of each object is revealed, allow them to compare their estimate to the actual mass measured in customary units.
3. Converting Units of Mass
Another approach is to teach students about exchanging customary units of mass. This can be done through activities like the ‘Fractions of a cup’ activity, in which
students gradually apply what they know to learning and comparing measurement units until they develop a good understanding. In this activity, students start with a unit they know — such as a quart — and then learn to convert units from one another, such as a cup or a gallon.
4. Estimating Weights of Household Items
This is another fun exercise in which students can estimate the weight of items they are familiar with around their home. Students can make educated guesses about how much an apple or a TV or an armchair weighs, then use scales and balances to find out the actual weight in customary units of mass.
5. Measure Your Own Weight
One of the easier activities is to have students measure their own weight, and then practice converting those weights from pounds to ounces, for example. This can be a good way to introduce students to the idea of using weights to consider standing on a scale or balancing on a seesaw.
In conclusion, there are many activities that can make teaching customary units of mass fun and engaging. Through activities like scavenger hunts, guessing games, and measuring household items, we can teach students to choose customary units of mass with ease. By using a variety of activities, students can gain a solid understanding of mass and will be able to use these skills in everyday life.