Grade

4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Year 4 Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 4, students choose appropriate strategies for calcula7ons involving mul7plica7on and
division. They recognise common equivalent frac7ons in familiar contexts and make connec7ons between
frac7on and decimal nota7ons up to two decimal places. Students solve simple purchasing problems. They
iden7fy unknown quan77es in number sentences. They describe number paBerns resul7ng from mul7plica7on.
Students compare areas of regular and irregular shapes using informal units. They solve problems involving
7me dura7on. They interpret informa7on contained in maps. Students iden7fy dependent and independent
events. They describe dierent methods for data collec7on and representa7on, and evaluate their
eec7veness.

Students use the proper7es of odd and even numbers. They recall mul7plica7on facts to 10 x 10 and related
division facts. Students locate familiar frac7ons on a number line. They con7nue number sequences involving
mul7ples of single digit numbers. Students use scaled instruments to measure temperatures, lengths, shapes
and objects. They convert between units of 7me. Students create symmetrical shapes and paBerns. They
classify angles in rela7on to a right angle. Students list the probabili7es of everyday events. They construct data
displays from given or collected data.

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Number
Links for
Lessons

1
2

Measurement and Geometry: Using Units of Measurement

Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths, masses, capaci7es
and temperatures (ACMMG084)

Compare objects using familiar metric units of area and volume (ACMMG290)
Number and Algebra: Frac7ons and Decimals:
Count by quarters halves and thirds, including with mixed numerals. Locate
and represent these frac7ons on a number line (ACMNA078)

Sta7s7cs and Probability: Data Representa7on and Interpreta7on
Select and trial methods for data collec7on, including survey ques7ons and
recording sheets (ACMSP095)

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

In this unit students will inves7gate measurement of mass and capacity. They
will compare the capacity and mass of familiar objects and use metric units of
measurement to record kilograms, grams, litres and millilitres. The dierence
between mass and weight will be explored and ways in which to record data
will be incorporated.
Objec7ves:

By the end of this unit students will be able to demonstrate:

Understanding of various methods of measurement
Data using appropriate units of measurement
Language of mass and capacity eg, full, quarter full, heavy, light, heavier
Understanding of mass in comparison to weight
Reading and interpre7ng the graduated scales on a range of measuring
instruments to the nearest gradua7on
Presenta7ons data in various ways to show the results of inves7ga7ons

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Capacity

Mass

Lesson 1:
Capacity Line Up

Lesson 5:
Weight vs Mass

Lesson 2:
Measuring Mania

Lesson 6:
Mass Line Up

Lesson 3:
Hold It

Lesson 7:
Comparing Mass

Lesson 4:
Monster Cakes

Final Lesson:
Capacity Race

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Lesson Procedure- 45 mins

Give each student a container and move outside
Explain that we are looking at capacity
Discuss what capacity is
Ask students to line up from most to least depending
on their containers capacity
Allow students to sort themselves into a line
Once in place, ask the person with the most to ll up
their container
Then ask the student to pass as much water onto the
next person in line, the amount of water should be
able to completely ll the container with some lea
over
Con7nue this down the line, if they do not completely
ll the container, then they are in the wrong posi7on
and should move across
Then ask the students to measure the capacity of
their container, using measuring utensils

Resources:
Water tray
Enough varying
containers for each
student
Measuring cups/.jugs
1

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Resources:
Measurement and
capacity cards
Cup and water (op7onal)
Pre made ques7ons and
topic cards
3

Lesson Procedure- 45 mins

Students will be in groups
Ask each group to come up with a buzzer sound
Explain that they will be playing the Measuring Mania
Game show
Using the measurement cards deni7ons and
images regarding capacity-ask for a volunteer from
each group
Then ask a ques7on about length: eg. what unit of
measurement do we use for length- then ask the
person who buzzed in rst to answer the ques7on
and allow them (if correct) to place the word card on
the board. For the picture cards ask for a
demonstra7on eg. for the half full ask the student to
demonstrate half full by lling a cup to half full.
Con*nue un*l cards are all used and up on the board
Provide each group with a score for each ques7on
and add to the group points.

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Resources:
Math books
Ones blocks (or other
small objects- enough to
give a heap to each
student)
1

Lesson Procedure- 45 mins

Give each child a small amount of ones blocks (or
other small objects) to use for the ac7vity.
Ask the students to make an es7ma7on of how many
they are able to hold in the palm of their hand. Make
a chart on the board to record each student's
es7ma7on.
Have the students test to see how many they can
actually hold in their hand.
Record the ndings in the chart.
Discuss what factors aected the capacity of their
hands. For example, discuss why one student could
hold more than others. Ask the students to consider if
the capacity would go up if the objects were changed
to grains of rice. Why?
Ask students to trace around their hand and write
how many of the object could t ask them to copy
the chart into their books

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Lesson Procedure- 45 mins

Resources:
Math books
Recipe for Monster
cakes these should
have two blank columns
for students to ll in
2

Explain that students are bakers for a company that makes

birthday cakes for monsters and today they have an order
for Steve
Give each child a recipe for the Monster Cakes
Explain that they only have a measuring cup that measures
in millilitres, and scales that measure in grams
Explain that they have to convert the recipe to have its
measurements in millilitres and grams so that you can make
the cakes
Tell the students that you just got a call from Steve and he
has halved his invite list, so he only wants half of the order.
Explain that students have to convert their recipe so that it
makes the right amount. Ask students what they might have
to do
Then explain that they have to halve all the ingredients

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Lesson Procedure- 45 mins

Give students the deni7ons of mass and weight, ask
them to write these in their books
Ask a student to come up and tell the class how
much sugar you have
Ask the class what they think would happen to the
sugar if I took it to the moon would it change mass
or weight? Would there be the same amount of
sugar? But does it change in weight when you take it
to the moon? Why?
Explain that the weight changes but we do not lose or
gain any more sugar
show the class the following video:
hBp://lrrpublic.cli.det.nsw.edu.au/lrrSecure/Sites/
Web/skoool/phys/step/mass_weight_gravity/
index.html
Have the class complete page 129 of the Targe7ng
Maths textbook

Resources:
Targe7ng Maths
textbook
Bag of sugar or
something with kg unit
ICT projector or laptop
etc
1

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Resources:
Targe7ng Maths
textbook
Laminated cards of
animals and cards with
their mass
1

Lesson Procedure- 45 mins

Give each student a picture of an animal

Explain that we doing a similar ac7vity to the Capacity
line up
Ask students to line up from most to least depending
on their animals mass
Allow students to sort themselves into a line
Once in place, ask the person with the heaviest
Then ask some of the students why they chose to
stand where they are
Write the order on the board
Then write the actual mass of each animal
underneath to check they are in the right place
Ask students to move around in the correct place if
they are in the wrong posi7on
Ask students to then sit down and go through the
instruc7ons for each of the ques7ons on page 129 of
the Targe7ng maths textbook and ask students to
complete the ques7ons

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

Resources:
Cut out pictures from a
magazine (varying mass)
Targe7ng Maths
textbook
Scales
A range of objects for
them to measure

Lesson Procedure- 45 mins

Give each student a picture cut out from a
magazine
Ask students to draw a scale to demonstrate
which object is heavier than the other
Then ask them to write why they think it is
heavier and why drew it as a lot heavier or just
heavier or about the same.
Go through each of the ques7ons on page 130
demonstra7ng what they have to do
Ask students to then complete page 130 of their
textbook using the objects provided

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass
Lesson Procedure- 45 mins

Explain that students will be doing a relay race

Take students outside and explain the rules:
Ask Students to line up in their groups
Explain that they will have a sponge and a bucket of water
This race will not be 7med, it is not about which team completes the
ac7vity fastest. Rather it is a game of accuracy: Which team can move
the most water from one bowl to other, was7ng the smallest amount of
water.
Each team will begin with 1 litre of water.
Discuss how many millilitres equals 1 litre.
Have the teams discuss strategies which may be helpful in moving the
water accurately from one bowl to the other. Cradling hands under the
sponge, not over satura7ng the sponge so water can be lost in the
transfer.
Each team measures out (with guidance as a check) 1 litre or 1000ml
and emp7es it into the star7ng bowl.
Once they have nished students sit down and wait for others to
complete
Ask for any ques7ons and then start the race
When students have nished ask them to measure the water that has been
transferred and to calculate how much they lost from the 1L they had
Discuss the tac7cs they used to transfer the water, what would they have
changed, what helped and what didnt

Resources:
Buckets for water-2
for each group
Water
4-5 sponges
Measuring jugs/
cups
Mini Whiteboards/
Paper and pens to
calculate their loss
at the end

Grade 4 Mathema7cs Unit:

Capacity and Mass

FormaKve:
Students understanding of the unit and its topics will be observed and
monitored through reec7ve notes aaer each lesson. They will also be
assessed on their responses to textbook ac7vi7es

Summa7ve:
Students will be given a worksheet that tests their knowledge of capacity and
mass. They will be required to have an understanding on how to convert
between mL and L, and grams and kilograms. They will also have to be able to
put objects in order from heaviest to lightest depending on their mass.
Students will have to iden7fy that mass stays the same in any context and
weight changes depending on gravity.