Chapter 13

Lesson 5-1
4 -1 Measuring Mass in Grams
and Kilograms
NCTM Standards 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
Common Core State Standards 3.MD 2

STUDENT OBJECTIVES
Lesson Planner •  n To measure and estimate masses of objects in grams and kilograms
•  n To solve one-step word problems involving masses given in the same units

(CCRG p. CC 21)

Open Ended Problem Solving/Headline Story Skills Practice and Review—

Setting the Clock

(CCRG pp. CC 22–CC 24)

Weight Versus Mass  (CCRG p. CC 22) • CCRG: Activity Master, Gram and Kilogram Hunt

Introducing Grams and Kilograms    • balances

(CCRG p. CC 23) • objects to measure

Measuring Weight in Grams and • LAB Masters, CCRG pp. CC 26–CC 27

Kilograms  (CCRG p. CC 24)

(CCRG p. CC 25)

Leveled Problem Solving  (CCRG p. CC 25) Practice Master, CCRG p. CC 28

Intervention Activity  (CCRG p. CC 25) Extension Master, CCRG p. CC 29
Extension Activity  (CCRG p. CC 25)

Lesson Notes
Lesson 13.5-1 has been added. Use this lesson after Lesson 13.5.

About the Lesson About the Mathematics

In previous lessons, students have explored weight
in ounces, pounds, and tons. This lesson focuses on
using the metric units of grams and kilograms to
measure mass.
Students learn benchmarks for these units and
recognize that a kilogram is a lot heavier than a gram.
They learn that 1 kilogram is equal to 1,000 grams.
Mass and weight are often used interchangeably.
Although there is a distinction between weight and
mass, that distinction may not be easy for students to
understand. Mass is a measure of how much matter
an object contains. Weight is a measure of the force of
gravity acting on an object. An object takes its mass
with it wherever it goes. An object’s weight, however,
depends on where an object is—its altitude above the
earth, or what planet it is on.

CC 20  Common Core Resource Guide Chapter 13 • Lesson 5-1

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 Developing
Mathematical Open-Ended Problem Solving
Language
Read the Headline Story to the students. Encourage them to think of
Vocabulary: mass, gram, interesting ways to complete the sentences.
kilogram
Ounces, pounds, and tons are U.S.
customary measures of weight.
The metric units of grams and
kilograms are measures of mass.
(See About the Mathematics for Nina has a pet . Her pet weighs .
a discussion of the difference José has a pet . His pet weighs .
between mass and weight.)

Possible responses: Nina

Familiarize students with the terms
gram and kilogram. Help children has a pet dog. Her pet
understand that kilograms are weighs 25 pounds. José has
heavier than grams.
a pet cat. His pet weighs
Beginning  On the board, write
15 pounds.
the terms gram and kilogram
relative to their sizes. Write gram
in small letters and kilogram in
large letters. Say the words and
have students repeat them after
you in an appropriate volume
to reflect the relative sizes of
the units.
Skills Practice and Review
Intermediate  Write gram and
kilogram on the board. Choose
Setting the Clock
objects in the classroom and Continue to have students practice telling time and using time
tells them, for example, that a intervals as in Lessons 13.4 and 13.5. For example, you might
paperclip has a mass of about set the demonstration clock to 9:30 and ask students to read the
1 gram and that a book has a time. Then ask, “What time is 1 hour and 15 minutes later?” When
mass of about 1 kilogram. students answer, move the hands of your clock through the time
interval so they can check. Repeat with different starting times such
Advanced  Display different
as 8:15 and 10:45 and using different time intervals.
objects and ask students to decide
on the unit, gram or kilogram, they
would use to measure the object.

Common Core Resource Guide  CC 21

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 Weight Versus Mass
whole class
15
MIN

NCTM Standards 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
CCSS 3.MD 2 Purpose  To distinguish between weight and mass
Introduce  Tell students that an average size golden retriever would only weigh about
10 pounds on the moon. Say that they are going to learn why.

Task  Ask students if they have seen pictures or videos of astronauts walking on
the moon. Discuss what students may have noticed, for example, how the astronauts
seemed to bounce around. Guide students to suggest that the astronauts might weigh
less on the moon than on Earth. Point out that the astronauts are still made of the
same stuff on the moon as on Earth—they still have the same mass. An object’s weight
depends on the force exerted on it by gravity. The moon is much smaller than Earth and
has only about one sixth of Earth’s gravitational pull. So on the moon, an object weighs
only one sixth of its weight on Earth. A golden retriever that weighs about 60 pounds
on Earth will weigh about 10 pounds on the moon. The dog has the same mass in both
places but the weights are different. Mass, which is the amount of stuff that makes up
an object, stays the same, no matter where it is.

Talk Math
Suppose a person weighs 120 pounds on Earth. How much would that
person weigh on the moon? about 20 pounds
Would that person’s mass be any different on the moon? Explain.
Possible answer: No; The person would still be made up of the same stuff
on the moon as on Earth.

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 Introducing Grams and Kilograms
small groups
20
MIN

Materials
Purpose  To introduce two metric units of mass • For each student:
AM: Gram and Kilogram
Introduce  Show students a large paper clip and explain that it has a mass of about Hunt, balance, paper
1 gram. Display a book and explain that it has a mass of about 1 kilogram. Write the
clips, books
units of mass on the board along with their abbreviations. Tell students that there are
1,000 grams in 1 kilogram. NCTM Standards 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
CCSS 3.MD 2

Task  Have students form small groups. Distribute a copy of Activity Master:
Gram and Kilogram Hunt to each student. Pass a paper clip around in each group
so that students can develop a benchmark value for 1 gram and then pass out an
object in your room that has a mass of about 1 kilogram, such as a
book. Name Date Activity Master

Have students hold each of the objects and estimate its mass. Ask Gram Hunt

students to record their estimates on Activity Master: Gram and Object Estimated Weight (g) Actual Weight (g)

Kilogram Hunt. Then, have students measure the mass of each object
with a pan balance and weights. Students can use paper clips and
books in place of weights. If you do not have a pan balance, have
students measure the objects by holding a paper clip or a book in one Kilogram Hunt
hand and the object in the other hand, determining how many paper Object Estimated Weight (kg) Actual Weight (kg)

clips or books are equal in mass to the object. Have students record the
weight of each object on the Activity Master.

© School Specialty
Talk Math CC 30 Common Core Resource Guide

How did you decide on your estimate? Possible answers: I held a

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Activity Master: Gram and

paper clip in one hand and the object in my other hand; I held a Kilogram Hunt
book in one hand and the object in my other hand.
Can two objects that are the same size have a different mass?
Explain. Possible answer: Yes. It depends on what they’re made of.
A balloon and a ball could be the same size but the ball would have
a greater mass. Observe children as they
complete Activity Master:
Gram and Kilogram Hunt.
• Do they understand that a
heavier object is measured
in kilograms and a lighter
object is measured in
grams?
• Do they choose appropriate
objects to measure with
each unit?

Chapter 13 • Lesson 5-1 Common Core Resource Guide  CC 23

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 Measuring in Grams and Kilogram pairs
LAB Masters, CCRG pp. CC 26–CC 27 15
MIN

Purpose  To estimate and measure items in grams and kilograms NCTM Standards 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
CCSS 3.MD 2

Lesson Activity Book Master, CCRG p. CC 26 Lesson Activity Book Master, CCRG p. CC 27
Name Date
Chapter 13 What is missing? Complete the table.
Lesson 5-1 Measuring Mass in Grams
Object More than or less More than or less
and Kilograms
NCTM Standards 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
than 1 gram? than 1 kilogram?
Common Core State Standards 3.MD 2
chicken
Draw a line to match each object with its mass. more than more than
 1 bicycle 100 grams
stamp
less than less than

1 dollar bill 100 grams Crayon

more than less than

Drawings may vary.

1 elephant 400 grams
One possible answer more than less than
is a mitten.
Drawings may vary.
One possible answer more than more than
is a desk.
1 bag of oranges 4 kilograms
Drawings may vary.
One possible answer less than less than
is a cotton ball.
1 knitted hat 12 kilograms

Problem Solving The mass of Adam’s cat is

5 kilograms. Lara’s cat is 3 kilograms more than
1 lion 180 kilograms Adam’s. What is the mass of Lara’s cat? Tell how
© School Specialty

you know.
© School Specialty

The mass of Lara’s cat is 8 kilograms.

1 football 4,000 kilograms
Possible explanation: I know Lara’s cat is heavier,

so I added 3 kilograms to 5 kilograms.

CC 26  Common Core Resource Guide
Common Core Resource Guide CC 27

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Teaching Notes for LAB Master, Teaching Notes for LAB Master,
CCRG page CC 26 CCRG page CC 27
Students match each item with its mass. You might encourage If students need help thinking of objects for Problems 4 to 6,
students to order the objects from lightest to heaviest to help suggest that they use Problems 1 to 3 for ideas.
them find the correct matches. Problem Solving  Remind students to think about whose
Ongoing Assessment  Ask students to explain their cat has the greater mass. Suggest that students check to see
reasoning. For example, a student might say, a book has a that their solution makes sense.
mass of about 1 kilogram, so a bag of oranges might weigh
about 4 kilograms.

Reflect and Summarize the Lesson

How do you decide whether to measure an object using grams or kilograms?
Possible answer: If the object is lighter than a book, I would use grams. If it is heavier than a
book, I would use kilograms.

CC 24  Common Core Resource Guide Chapter 13 • Lesson 5-1

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 Leveled Problem Solving
Meg’s baby brother has a mass of 4 kilograms.

Basic Level On Level Above Level

Her kitten has a mass of 520 Her cat has a mass of 4,250 Her puppy has a mass of 3,870
grams. Who has the greater grams. Who has the greater grams. Whose mass is greater?
mass?  Meg’s baby brother; mass?  Meg’s cat; 4 kilograms is How much greater?  Meg’s baby
1 kilogram is 1,000 grams so 4,000 grams. 4,250 . 4,000 brother’s mass is 130 grams more;
4 kilograms is a lot more than 4 kilograms 5 4,000 grams;
520 grams. 4,000 is greater than 3,870;
4,000 2 3,870 5 130. 

Practice Master, CCRG p. CC 28 Extension Master, CCRG p. CC 29

Extension
Name Date Practice Name Date
Lesson
Lesson 5-1
28 Lesson 5-1

Measuring Mass in Grams and Kilograms Measuring Mass in Grams and Kilograms
Which is the better estimate? There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram.

dog mittens There are 3,000 grams in 3 kilograms.

There are 5 kilograms in 5,000 grams.

5g or 5 kg 80 g or 80 kg
magazine truck 5,300 grams plus 700 grams equals 6 kilograms.

6,000 grams minus 2 kilograms equals 4 kilograms.

160 g or 160 kg 2,000 g or 2,000 kg
Is the mass reasonable? Circle yes or no.
refrigerator bird If you circle no, give a reasonable mass.
Answers will vary
110 g or 110 kg 50 g or 50 kg
leaf nickel

400 kilograms 1 kilogram

1g or 1 kg 5 g or 5 kg
yes or no yes or no
Reasonable mass Reasonable mass
Test Prep 5 kilograms
Which unit can Maya use to The clock below shows Avi’s
© School Specialty

measure how much her backpack bedtime. His younger sister’s

© School Specialty

weighs? bedtime is 45 minutes earlier.

A. gallon What is his sister’s bedtime?
A. 8:45 10 grams 150 grams
B. gram
C. pound B. 8:00 yes or no yes or no
D. ounce C. 7:45 Reasonable mass Reasonable mass
D. 7:15 1 gram
CC 28  Common Core Resource Guide Common Core Resource Guide CC 29

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Intervention Activity Extension Activity

How Heavy? Kilograms to Grams
On the board, make three columns labeled Less Than Have students work in teams. Point out that to convert
1 Kilogram, About 1 Kilogram, and More than 1 from a larger unit to a smaller unit, you multiply, and
Kilogram. Ask students to name objects in the classroom to convert from a smaller unit to a larger unit, you
that correspond to each category. Write the name divide. Remind students that there are 1,000 grams
of the object in the appropriate column. If you have in 1 kilogram. Write a number on the board and have
a pan balance, have students check that the objects students convert that many kilograms to grams. The first
are classified correctly by comparing the object to a student who makes the conversion correctly wins a point
1-kilogram mass. for his or her team. Play until one team wins 5 points.

Chapter 13 • Lesson 5-1 Common Core Resource Guide  CC 25

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 Name   Date
Chapter 13

Lesson 5-1 Measuring Mass in Grams

and Kilograms
NCTM Standards 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
Common Core State Standards 3.MD 2

Draw a line to match each object with its mass.

1 bicycle 100 grams

1 dollar bill 100 grams

1 elephant 400 grams

1 bag of oranges 4 kilograms

1 knitted hat 12 kilograms

1 lion 180 kilograms

© School Specialty

1 football 4,000 kilograms

CC 26  Common Core Resource Guide

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 What is missing? Complete the table.

Object More than or less More than or less

than 1 gram? than 1 kilogram?
chicken
more than

stamp

Crayon

Drawings may vary.

One possible answer more than less than
is a mitten.
Drawings may vary.
One possible answer more than more than
is a desk.
Drawings may vary.
One possible answer less than less than
is a cotton ball.

Problem Solving  The mass of Adam’s cat is

5 kilograms. Lara’s cat is 3 kilograms more than
Adam’s. What is the mass of Lara’s cat? Tell how
you know.
© School Specialty

Common Core Resource Guide  CC 27

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 Name   Date Practice
Lesson
Lesson 5-1
28

Measuring Mass in Grams and Kilograms

Which is the better estimate?
dog mittens

5 g  or  5 kg 80 g  or  80 kg
magazine truck

160 g  or  160 kg 2,000 g  or  2,000 kg

refrigerator bird

110 g  or  110 kg 50 g  or  50 kg

leaf nickel

1 g  or  1 kg 5 g  or  5 kg

Test Prep
 Which unit can Maya use to  The clock below shows Avi’s
measure how much her backpack bedtime. His younger sister’s
© School Specialty

weighs? bedtime is 45 minutes earlier.

A.  gallon What is his sister’s bedtime?
B.  gram A.  8:45
C.  pound B.  8:00
D.  ounce C.  7:45
D.  7:15
CC 28  Common Core Resource Guide

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 Name   Date Extension
Lesson 5-1

Measuring Mass in Grams and Kilograms

There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram.

There are grams in 3 kilograms.

There are kilograms in 5,000 grams.

5,300 grams plus 700 grams equals kilograms.

6,000 grams minus 2 kilograms equals kilograms.

Is the mass reasonable? Circle yes or no.

If you circle no, give a reasonable mass.

400 kilograms 1 kilogram

yes or no yes or no
Reasonable mass Reasonable mass
© School Specialty

10 grams 150 grams

yes or no yes or no
Reasonable mass Reasonable mass

Common Core Resource Guide  CC 29

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 Name   Date Activity Master

Gram Hunt
Object Estimated Weight (g) Actual Weight (g)

Kilogram Hunt
Object Estimated Weight (kg) Actual Weight (kg)

© School Specialty

CC 30  Common Core Resource Guide

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 Common Core Resource Guide  CC 31

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