Year 1 Mass and Capacity: check-up and quiz

Key words. Heavier than means weighs more. Lighter than means weighs less.

Method. The heavier one is the one that makes its side go down on the scale.

1. Look at the scale. The side that goes down holds the heavier object.
   Pan A goes down
2. Find the heavier object. The heavier object is on the low side.
   A is the bag
3. Write the answer.
   A, the bag

Check. The other side goes up, so it is the other one. ✓

Watch out. A big thing can be light, and a small thing can be heavy. Look at the scale, not the size.

Key words. A balance scale is level when both sides weigh the same. A cube is a unit we can count.

Method. Add cubes to one pan until the scale is level. Then count the cubes.

1. Look at the ball and the scale. When the beam is level, both sides weigh the same.
   The ball weighs the same as the cubes.
2. Count the cubes, one at a time. Touch each cube once so you do not miss one.
   1, 2, 3
3. Write the answer. The last number is how many cubes there are.
   3 cubes

Check. Take one cube away. The scale tips, so 3 cubes is exactly right. ✓

Watch out. Use cubes that are all the same size. Different sizes give a wrong count.

Key words. Full means the water reaches the top.

Method. Look for the container that is full.

1. Look at each container. Check how high the water reaches.
   A: half full; B: full; C: empty
2. Find the one that is full. Only one container matches.
   B: full
3. Write the answer.
   B

Check. The other containers are not full. ✓

Watch out. Look at the water, not at the shape of the container.

Method. Count the cups for each container. Then see which one holds more.

1. Count the cups for A. Each cup is one unit.
   A: 5 cups
2. Count the cups for B. Each cup is one unit.
   B: 3 cups
3. Compare the two numbers. The bigger number holds more.
   5 > 3
4. Write the answer.
   A

Check. 3 cups is less than 5 cups. ✓

Watch out. Count the cups. Do not guess from the shape of the container.

Key words. Half full means the water is halfway up.

Method. Look for the container that is half full.

1. Look at each container. Check how high the water reaches.
   A: quarter full; B: half full; C: full
2. Find the one that is half full. Only one container matches.
   B: half full
3. Write the answer.
   B

Check. The other containers are not half full. ✓

Watch out. Look at the water, not at the shape of the container.

Key words. To count is to say one number for each thing, in order.

Method. Touch each one once and say its number. The last number you say is how many there are.

1. Count each one, in order. Each one gets one number. Do not miss one.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
2. Look at the last number. The last number tells us how many altogether.
   The last number is 7.
3. Write the answer.
   There are 7 cups.

Check. Count again from the other side. You get 7 again. ✓

Watch out. Move each one to one side as you count it, so you do not count it twice.

Method. Count the cups already in the jug. Then count how many more fill the empty spaces.

1. Count the cups already in the jug. Count the full spaces.
   2 cups
2. Count the empty spaces left. Each empty space needs one more cup.
   5 − 2 = 3
3. Write the answer.
   3 more cups

Check. 2 + 3 = 5. ✓

Watch out. Count the empty spaces, not the full ones.

Key words. Heaviest means the most heavy. Lightest means the least heavy.

Method. Put the objects in a line, from the heaviest to the lightest. Then find the heaviest one.

1. Put the objects in a line. The heaviest goes at the front.
   brick > book > apple
2. Find the heaviest one. The heaviest one is at the front of the line.
   brick is the heaviest
3. Write the answer.
   The brick is the heaviest.

Check. The first one is heavier than the last one, so the line is right. ✓

Watch out. Read every sentence. Do not pick the first object you read about.

Key words. Empty means nothing inside. Quarter full means a quarter of the way up.

Method. Look at how high the water reaches.

1. Look at the water. Compare it with the top and the bottom of the container.
   This container: the water is a quarter of the way up
2. Find the matching word. Empty, quarter full, half full or full.
   quarter full
3. Write the answer.
   quarter full

Check. Check: the water is the water is a quarter of the way up. ✓

Watch out. The water starts at the bottom. Do not count the empty space at the top.

Key words. Lightest is the least heavy. Heaviest is the most heavy.

Method. Lightest first. Compare two objects at a time.

1. Compare two objects. Use the scale or the cubes to see which is heavier.
   apple < bag < brick
2. Put them in a line. Start with the lightest one.
   apple, bag, brick
3. Write the answer.
   apple, bag, brick

Check. There are 3 objects in the question and 3 in the answer. ✓

Watch out. Check that you have not left one out.

Key words. Heavier than means weighs more. Lighter than means weighs less.

Method. The lighter one is the one that makes its side go up on the scale.

1. Look at the scale. The side that goes down holds the heavier object.
   Pan A goes down
2. Find the lighter object. The lighter object is on the high side.
   B is the book
3. Write the answer.
   B, the book

Check. The other side goes down, so it is the other one. ✓

Watch out. A big thing can be light, and a small thing can be heavy. Look at the scale, not the size.

Key words. A balance scale is level when both sides weigh the same. A cube is a unit we can count.

Method. Add cubes to one pan until the scale is level. Then count the cubes.

1. Look at the bag and the scale. When the beam is level, both sides weigh the same.
   The bag weighs the same as the cubes.
2. Count the cubes, one at a time. Touch each cube once so you do not miss one.
   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
3. Write the answer. The last number is how many cubes there are.
   7 cubes

Check. Take one cube away. The scale tips, so 7 cubes is exactly right. ✓

Watch out. Use cubes that are all the same size. Different sizes give a wrong count.

Key words. Empty means there is nothing in it.

Method. Look for the container that is empty.

1. Look at each container. Check how high the water reaches.
   A: half full; B: empty; C: full
2. Find the one that is empty. Only one container matches.
   B: empty
3. Write the answer.
   B

Check. The other containers are not empty. ✓

Watch out. Look at the water, not at the shape of the container.

Key words. Empty means nothing inside. Quarter full means a quarter of the way up.

Method. Look at how high the water reaches.

1. Look at the water. Compare it with the top and the bottom of the container.
   This container: the water is halfway up
2. Find the matching word. Empty, quarter full, half full or full.
   half full
3. Write the answer.
   half full

Check. Check: the water is the water is halfway up. ✓

Watch out. The water starts at the bottom. Do not count the empty space at the top.

Method. Count the cups for each container. Then see which one holds more.

1. Count the cups for A. Each cup is one unit.
   A: 4 cups
2. Count the cups for B. Each cup is one unit.
   B: 6 cups
3. Compare the two numbers. The bigger number holds more.
   6 > 4
4. Write the answer.
   B

Check. 4 cups is less than 6 cups. ✓

Watch out. Count the cups. Do not guess from the shape of the container.

Method. Count the cubes on each scale. Then choose the one that needs fewer cubes.

1. Count the cubes for A. Each cube is one unit.
   A: 7 cubes
2. Count the cubes for B. Each cube is one unit.
   B: 2 cubes
3. Compare the two numbers. The bigger number is more cubes.
   7 > 2
4. Write the answer.
   B (the apple)

Check. 2 is smaller than 7, so the answer is right. ✓

Watch out. Count the cubes on both scales. Do not guess from the size of the objects.

Method. Count the cups already in the jug. Then count how many more fill the empty spaces.

1. Count the cups already in the jug. Count the full spaces.
   6 cups
2. Count the empty spaces left. Each empty space needs one more cup.
   8 − 6 = 2
3. Write the answer.
   2 more cups

Check. 6 + 2 = 8. ✓

Watch out. Count the empty spaces, not the full ones.

Method. Compare the two objects, then decide if the sentence is true.

1. Find the two objects. Read the sentence carefully.
   book and bag
2. Say which one is heavier. The heavier one makes its side go down.
   The bag is heavier
3. Write the answer. Does the sentence match what we found?
   False

Check. Read the sentence the other way round to check. ✓

Watch out. Heavier and lighter mean opposite things. Read them carefully.

Method. Look at how full each one is. Start with the emptiest.

1. Look at each container. Check how high the water reaches.
   A: half full; B: empty; C: quarter full
2. Put them in order. Start with the one that has the least water.
   B, C, A
3. Write the answer.
   B, C, A

Check. There are 3 containers in the question and 3 in the answer. ✓

Watch out. Empty comes first, then quarter full, then half full, then full.

Method. Compare the two jugs. Look at how high the water reaches.

1. Compare the two fractions. Half is bigger than a quarter.
   1/2 is bigger than 1/4
2. Look at the water levels. The half full jug has water higher up.
   Half full is higher than quarter full
3. Write the answer.
   No. Half full has more water than quarter full.

Check. Half of a jug is more than a quarter of it. ✓

Watch out. Two fractions can look alike, but the bigger one has more water.