Measurement
Measurement
Objectives
In this unit, students will investigate mass and volume. Students will:
- use instruments to measure mass and volume and use appropriate metric units to record data.
- differentiate between volume and mass.
- describe the relationship between mass, volume, and density.
Essential Questions
Related Unit and Lesson Plans
Related Materials & Resources
The possible inclusion of commercial websites below is not an implied endorsement of their products, which are not free, and are not required for this lesson plan.
- Performance Assessment (S-5-3_Performance Assessment and KEY.doc)
- What’s the Matter? Everything!
http://utahscience.oremjr.alpine.k12.ut.us/sciber02/elem/5th/MATTER/Every/every.htm
Formative Assessment
-
View
Multiple Choice Items:
1. What statement best describes the meniscus?
A
The amount of matter in an object
B
The amount of space taken up by an object
C
Any substance that has mass and occupies space
D
The curved surface of a liquid in a graduated cylinder
2. Which units would you use for measuring a substance in a graduated cylinder?
A
grams
B
kilograms
C
milliliters
D
pounds
3. Which of these can you measure with a triple-beam balance?
A
Volume of water in a beaker
B
Volume of a rectangular box
C
Mass of another object
D
Volume of a rock
4. Which tool or tools are most likely used for measuring the volume of the object shown below?
Source: http://www.creativepavingsolns.com/SiteAssets/Colonial_Brick.jpg
A
Metric ruler
B
Graduated cylinder
C
Triple-beam balance and beaker
D
Metric ruler and graduated cylinder
5. What is the density of an object with a mass of 150 grams (g) and a volume of
15 cubic centimeters (cm3)?
A
10 g/cm3
B
15 g/cm3
C
135 g/cm3
D
165 g/cm3
6. What is being measured, as shown in the pictures below?
Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Submerged-and-Displacing.png
A
Color
B
Mass
C
Temperature
D
Volume
7. What is the mass shown on the triple-beam balance below?
Source: http://mrsdlovesscience.com/62.jpg
A
62.4 g
B
62.8 g
C
162.4 g
D
162.8 g
8. Mass, density, and volume can all be measured.
A
True
B
False
9. Two objects can have the same mass, but different volumes.
A
True
B
False
10. Two objects can have the same volume, but different masses.
A
True
B
False
Multiple-Choice Answer Key:
1. D
2. C
3. C
4. A
5. A
6. D
7. A
8. A
9. A
10. A
Short-Answer Items
11. Describe how you could find the volume of a child’s square building block.
12. Write a step-by-step procedure to describe how you could determine the volume of an apple.
13. Define mass and volume, and how they are related to density.
Short-answer Key and Scoring Rubrics:
11. Describe how you could find the volume of a child’s square building block.
Points
Description
2
The student’s answer includes all three of the following:
- use a metric ruler.
- measure the length, width, and height.
- multiply the length × width × height.
1
- The student’s answer includes two of the requirements.
0
- The student’s answer includes one or none of the requirements.
12. Write a step-by-step procedure to describe how you could determine the volume of an apple.
Points
Description
2
The student:
- writes a step-by-step procedure in the correct order.
- describes how to use displacement to find the apple’s volume.
- uses the appropriate instrument (beaker) to find the volume.
1
The student:
- misses a step or has a step out of order when listing a step-by-step procedure.
- describes how to find the apple’s volume.
- does not name the instrument (beaker) used to find the volume.
0
The student:
- uses length × width × height to find the apple’s volume.
- does not correctly describe how to use displacement to find the apple’s volume.
- does not write a step-by-step procedure.
13. Define mass and volume, and how they are related to density.
Points
Description
2
The student completes all three of the following:
- correctly defines mass as the amount of matter in a substance.
- correctly defines volume as the amount of space a substance occupies.
- relates mass and volume to density (density = mass/volume).
1
The student completes two of the following:
- correctly defines mass as the amount of matter in a substance.
- correctly defines volume as the amount of space a substance occupies.
- relates mass and volume to density (density = mass/volume).
0
The student completes one or none of the following:
- correctly defines mass as the amount of matter in a substance.
- correctly defines volume as the amount of space a substance occupies.
- relates mass and volume to density (density = mass/volume).
Performance Assessment:
Hand out to each student a copy of the Performance Assessment document (S-5-3_Performance Assessment and KEY.doc). This assessment evaluates whether students are able to:
- measure mass using a triple-beam balance.
- write a step-by-step procedure for measuring volume.
- measure volume using a graduated cylinder.
- calculate density using mass and volume measurements.
- answer questions about the relationship between mass, volume, and density.
You can set up the assessment so that students complete it individually by preparing several stations around the classroom and having students work simultaneously. When students are not at an assessment station, they can work on another assignment while they wait and after they are finished.
Instead of a quarter, other options are a fishing sinker, a marble, iron pyrite (fool’s gold; known density of 5.02 g/cm3), or a liquid (for students who may have difficulty finding the volume of an irregular solid using displacement).
Materials:
- 1 quarter
- triple-beam balance
- graduated cylinder (at least 50-mL)
- 100-mL beaker with water
CAUTION:
- Warn students against dropping the quarter into the graduated cylinder.
- Instruct students to inform you immediately if any glassware breaks.
Performance Assessment Scoring Rubric:
Points
Description
5
The student completes all five of the requirements:
- measures mass of the quarter using a triple-beam balance and labels the units in grams; the mass of a quarter is about 5.7 grams.
- writes a step-by-step procedure for measuring the volume of an irregular solid object (quarter), including:
o Put water into the graduated cylinder and measure the volume.
o Add the quarter to the graduated cylinder and measure the new volume.
o Find the difference in volumes, which is the volume of the quarter.
- measures volume of the quarter using a graduated cylinder and labels the units in mL or cm3; the volume of a quarter is about 0.5 cm3 (i.e., 0.5 mL).
- calculates density using mass and volume measurements and labels the units in g/cm3; the density of a quarter is about 11.4 g/cm3.
- explains the relationship between mass, volume, and density.
4
The student completes four of the requirements.
3
The student completes three of the requirements.
2
The student completes two of the requirements.
1
The student completes one of the requirements.
0
The student demonstrates a lack of understanding or does not attempt to complete the assessment.
DRAFT 05/02/2011
