Pass the parcel

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Suggested content:

Mass: Choose appropriate units of measurement for mass

Identify the appropriate unit and device to measure mass

Mass: Connect decimal representations to the metric system

Recognise the equivalence of whole-number and decimal representations of measurements of mass
Interpret decimal notation for masses
Measure mass using scales and record using decimal notation of up to 3 decimal places

Mass: Convert between common metric units of mass

Convert between kilograms and grams and between kilograms and tonnes

Equipment

An indoor or outdoor playing area
Balls or items in closed containers
Music
Scales
Whiteboard

Activity set-up

Players stand in a large circle.

How to play

Players form a circle and music is played. The balls are thrown from player to player. Players pass the balls until the music stops, when they estimate the mass of the ball they are holding.

Students sit or stand in a whole-class circle and throw or pass around 4 or 5 different balls, to music.
When the music stops, the students holding the ball or containers call their estimate of the mass of the ball or container out and it is recorded on a whiteboard.
After several estimates for the different objects have been recorded, students weigh the items to determine who had the closest estimate.
Students then convert between kg, g and t.

Variations

Use different balls or objects.
Players estimate the actual mass.
Teacher calls ‘change’ to change the direction of throwing.

Non-spatial measure