Big Idea and State Standards

Big Idea:
- Students will learn about the interactions of matter
State Standard:
- BENCHMARK: 6.2.2.2.4 Mass vs. Weight. Distinguish between mass and weight.
Essential Questions:
- What are the similarities and differences between mass and weight?
Language Objective:
- Students will be able to compare mass and weight using a venn diagram and vocabulary including
mass, grams, newtons, and weight.
Content Objective:
- Students will be able to differentiate between mass and weight.

Assessment
Formative assessment:
- Do Nows at the beginning of the class
- Review questions at the end of the student note packet
Summative assessment:
- At the end of the unit the class will have a end of unit exam that includes this content.
Lesson plans (45 minutes)
Activity

Students Do

Teachers Do

Do Now

5 minutes to Do
2 minutes to Review

The questions will review the content from

the previous day. They are done individually
on their own DO NOW sheet.
Differentiation:
- Writing responses on the whiteboard.
- Providing sentence stems

Students come into

class and take out
their science folders.
Then they start on
the DO NOW of the
day that is on the
board on their DO
NOW sheet.
When done students
raise hand to get it
checked off.
Voice level 1
Staying at seat

Teacher circulates the room

to answer any questions or
help students that are stuck.
Teacher marks off when
students finish their DO
NOW.
After 5 minutes, the teacher
leads a review of the
questions using student
answers. Teacher writes
ideas on board (for ELL
learners)

Engage:
Questioning over a picture of an elephant
with a bird.

Students will answer

the question in a
THINK-PAIR-SHARE
format at their table.
Voice level 2
Stay at seat
2 minutes

Questions:
- Which is more massive?
- How do you know?

Teacher will pull up the

picture and ask the eliciting
questions. The teacher will
circulate the room to ensure
students are participating in
the THINK-PAIR-SHARE.
After 2 minutes the teacher
will facilitate a group share
about their observations.

Differentiation:
- Writing responses on the whiteboard.
- Giving students the opportunity to
draw observations.
- Providing sentence stems
Explore
Students will be filling in a table on
weight including its definition, tool,
basic metric unit, and english system
unit.
Students will read about mass and
weight and fill in the VENN Diagram
that compares the two.
Differentiation:
- Partner students up to read and
underline key points.
- Writing responses on the whiteboard.
- Providing sentence stems
- Simpler reading texts for students

Students will use the

reading handout to
fill in the notes on
weight and the venn
diagram.
15 minutes
Voice level 1
Stay at seat
After class review
of Venn Diagram
students add details
they were missing
and volunteer their
data.

Calculating Mass on Different problems

- Students will watch a quick BBC

Students will watch

the video and

Teacher introduces how to

use a Venn Diagram.
Teachers will circulate as
students are reading and
taking notes and ensure on
task behavior as well as
answer any questions.
When reviewing, the
teacher will draw the Venn
Diagram on the board and
will fill it in with student
suggestions.
Teacher can elicit a
conversation using
questions such as:
What are some differences
between mass and weight?
What are some similarities
between mass and weight?
What is the relationship
between mass and weight?
How does weight depend
on mass?
If mass is increased, what
happens to the weight of
the object?
How can you "lose"
weight?
Is the "Biggest Loser" TV
show really a weight loss
show?

Teachers will show the

video and then elicit the
2

video on the difference of mass and

weight on different planets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
ToMs7RaL11U
Students will calculate their mass
and weight on different planets
following the following procedure:

1) Find your Mass on Earth by using a scale

calibrated to pounds.
2) Multiply your Mass on Earth by the conversion
factor of .45 Kg/pound. Record in data table.
Multiply the result by the conversion factor of 10
Newtons/Kg to calculate your Weight on Earth.
Record in data table.

participate in a
discussion about
what they saw.
Students will copy
the example
calculations and will
then do their own
calculations for mass
and weight.
Voice level 0 (video)
& Voice level 1
(activity)
Stay at their seat

students in a discussion
about what they saw.
The teacher will provide
and example calculation by
writing it on the
whiteboard. The teacher
will leave this on the board
if students need it for
reference later.
The teacher will circulate
as students are doing their
calculations to answer
questions and assist
students.

3) Decide which planet you would like to travel

to first. Record Planet Name in data table.
4) Record your Mass on Planet X. X = Planet
Name.
5) Calculate your Weight on Planet X. Look at
the Gravity on Planets Graph. On this graph,
the acceleration of gravity on Earth = 1. You can
find out the force of gravity related to Earths
gravity by looking at the graph for other planets
gravity factor (for example, Jupiters
gravitational pull is 2.5 times that of Earth).
Multiply your Mass on Planet X by the gravity
factor. Record in data table.

Differentiation:
-

Partner up students to do activity

Write example on board
Break down calculations for students to
follow in a more step-by-step process.

Explain/Evaluate
Students will answer the following summary
questions on their papers individually to
finish the lesson:
1.

2.

Explain why your weight is different

on other planets. What factors
contribute to having more or less
weight? Refer to the background
information text in the lab notebook
for additional help.
Do objects with large masses always
have large weights? Explain.

Students will fill out

the answers to the
three questions on an
attached piece of
paper.
Voice level 0
At seat

Teacher will circulate the

room to answer questions.
Teacher will gather
responses and evaluate
student understanding
from the question
responses. Teacher will
prepare material for the
next lessons based on
errors or
misunderstandings that
arise in the write up.
3

3.

Are the properties of mass and weight

useful when trying to identify
different types of matter? Why or
why not?

Differentiation:
-

Provide sentence stems

Allow students to draw responses
Read questions aloud for students
Take verbal responses for questions