Lesson 3: Measurements

Subject: Science (Chemistry)

Duration: 1 hour – 1 hour and 30 minutes

Level: 5th-6th

OVERVIEW
Measurements are a fundamental concept in chemistry for quantifying amounts, observing changes,
and testing hypotheses. Accurate measurements allow chemists to represent findings clearly and
reliably. In this lesson, students will learn the importance of measurements in scientific experiments and
data analysis, which equips students with skills to conduct reliable experiments and apply these
concepts to real-world scenarios of science and engineering problems.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lecture, students will be able to:

 Explain the process of measurement
 Identify the three basic parts of a quantity
 Describe the properties and units of length, mass, volume, density, temperature, and time

VALUES
 Problem-solving: Troubleshooting issues related to measurement errors encourages problem-
solving, as students seek ways to improve their techniques and accuracy.
 Attention to Detail: Emphasize careful observation and precision when identifying and recording
properties during experiments, helping students develop a meticulous approach to scientific
inquiry.
 Responsibility: Accurate measurements have real-world implications, teaching students to take
responsibility for the data they collect and its impact on results.

MATERIALS/RESOURCES
The following materials/resources are needed for the lesson:
Activity 1:
 Digital or triple-beam scale (one per group or pair of students)
 Small objects to measure (such as paperclips, erasers, marbles, coins, etc.)
Activity 2:
 Graduated cylinders (preferably 50 mL or 100 mL)
 Beakers or cups
 Water
ENGAGEMENT (7-10 minutes)
“The Cookie Debate” Brainstorm Activity
 Scenario: Imagine you are part of a baking club that wants to create the perfect cookie recipe.
The club members have different opinions on how to measure ingredients for the best results.
Some members insist on using volume measurements (like cups) for ingredients, while others
argue that using weight measurements (like grams) is more accurate and leads to better
cookies.
 Engaging questions:
o "What measurement methods do you typically use when cooking or baking at home?
Why do you prefer them?"
o "Why is measurement accuracy important when baking? Can a small error affect the
outcome of the cookies? How?"
o "Have you ever experienced a baking failure? What do you think caused it—
measurement errors or something else?"
 Follow-up: Briefly explain any misconceptions and let students explore the concepts through
exploration activities

EXPLORATION (20-30 minutes):

Activity 1: Mass Measurement Challenge
Objective: Learn how to use a balance to measure mass accurately and compare their estimates with
actual measurements to understand the concept of accuracy.
a. Hands-on activity:
 Ask students to estimate the mass of each object before using the scale
 Turn on the scale and zero it before measuring
 Carefully place the object on the balance and record the measurement
 Have them reflect on how close their estimates were to the actual measurements
 Repeat this for each object.
b. Group competition:
 Create a fun competition among students to see who can estimate the mass of the objects
most accurately.
 Award points for each estimate that is close to the actual measurement (e.g., within 5-10%
of the actual mass)
Questions:
- "Why do some objects that look the same size have different masses?"
- "Why is it important to measure mass accurately in real-life situations, like in cooking or
science experiments?"
Activity 2: Error Analysis Lab
Objective: Explore the concepts of accuracy and precision.
a. Hands-on experiment:
 Fill a beaker or cup with water
 First measurement: Pour a certain amount of water (e.g., 30 mL) into the graduated cylinder
  Measure the volume by reading the measurement on the cylinder
 Record the first measurement in a data table
 Repeat Measurements: Pour the liquid back into the beaker and repeat the process two
more times (use the same graduated cylinder and the same amount of water each time)
 Record each measurement in the data table
Questions:
- "What factors do you think could affect the accuracy or precision of your
measurements?"
- "Are there any noticeable differences between the three trials?"
- “Are there ways to reduce errors in future experiments?”
b. Measurement video
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=XsIWgWOxySw&pp=ygUebWVhc3VyZW1lbnQgYWN0aXZpdHkgY2hlbWlzcnR5)

EXPLANATION (30-40 minutes):

Every measurement provides three kinds of information: the size or magnitude of the measurement (a
number); a standard of comparison for the measurement (a unit); and an indication of the uncertainty
of the measurement.

Example: “I’ve drunk around 2 liters of water today”

 Why do we need numbers in measurements?
If you just said, "I drink some water," no one would know how much! That’s why we need numbers.
 Why do we need units?
If you said, "I drink 2…something," no one would know whether you meant liters, gallons, or even cups.
Without units, the number doesn’t make sense.
 What is uncertainty?
You’re not always going to get it exactly right. Maybe you drink a little more or less every time.
Uncertainty is unavoidable so it is acceptable if you let people know about it.

1. SI Unit
We usually report the results of scientific measurements in SI unit. Sometimes we use units that are
fractions or multiples of a base unit. Ice cream is sold in quarts (a familiar, non-SI base unit), pints (0.5
quart), or gallons (4 quarts).
 2. Derived SI Unit
We can derive many units from the seven SI base units. For example, we can use the base unit of length
to define a unit of volume, and the base units of mass and length to define a unit of density.
a. Volume
- Volume is the amount of space something takes up. It’s a derived unit because we get it
by combining other units (like length) to describe three dimensions: height, width, and
depth.
- The basic unit for length in the metric system is the meter (m), but to measure volume,
we need to think in three dimensions:
length × width × height.
- The SI unit for volume is cubic meters (m³), the metric unit for volume is liters (L)
Real-world connection: Imagine you're pouring your favorite juice into a glass. The amount of juice that
can fit in the glass is the volume.
 If you have a big glass, it can hold more juice, so the volume of juice it can hold is larger.
 If you only pour a little bit of juice into the same glass, the volume of juice in the glass is smaller.

b. Density
- Density is how much matter is packed into a certain amount of space (volume).
- It’s a derived unit because we combine two different measurements—mass and volume
—to calculate it:
mass/volume
- The SI unit for density is kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³)
Real-world connection: Imagine you’re playing with toys in a bathtub or a pool. When you drop a rubber
ball and a rock into the water, the rubber ball floats, but the rock sinks. This happens because the
density of the rubber ball is less than the water, while the rock is denser than water.
 Even though the ball and rock might be similar in size (volume), the rock is much heavier
because it has more matter packed inside it—so it’s denser.
Fun fact: Every year, your height changes a little! You're actually taller in the morning than in the
evening because your spine compresses during the day. This is why accurate measurements can depend
on the time of day!

3. Accuracy and Precision

In science, accurate measurements ensure that findings are valid and reflect the true nature of what’s
being studied. If results aren't accurate, conclusions drawn from them might be incorrect. On the other
hand, consistency (precision) is key to validating research. If measurements aren't precise, it can be hard
to know if the results are reliable.
Accuracy Precision
Definition How close a measurement is to How consistent measurements
the true or correct value. are with each other, regardless
of whether they are close to the
true value.
Importance Ensures that the result is correct Ensures that the result is
or valid. consistent and repeatable.
Goal in Science To get as close as possible to To get measurements that are
the correct result. similar or very close to each
other.

Real-world connection: Imagine you’re throwing darts

 Accurate but not precise: You hit close to the bullseye once, but other throws are scattered.
 Precise but not accurate: All your darts hit the same spot, but they’re far from the bullseye.
 Accurate and precise: You hit the bullseye or very close to it every time

Why it matters?
1. Accuracy: Imagine you’re baking a cake. The recipe says to use 1 cup of sugar, but you
accidentally add 2 cups. What do you think will happen?
 When you accurately measure the ingredients, the cake turns out delicious, just like
it should.
 But if you're not accurate and use the wrong amounts, the cake won't taste right.
That's why accuracy is so important in cooking and baking!
2. Precision: Imagine you're building a tower with LEGO blocks. If you want it to be tall and
straight, you have to stack each block carefully on top of the other in the same way every time.
 If you're precise, the blocks line up perfectly, and the tower stands tall and steady.
 But if you're not, the tower might get wobbly and fall over because you didn’t stack
the blocks the same way each time.

SUMMARY (5-7 minutes)

Takeaways: Accurate and precise measurements are important for reliable results, both in science and
everyday life, such as when solving problems, conducting experiments, and even doing simple tasks like
following a recipe or building something

Chemistry in everyday life:

 “Think about when you get medicine from the doctor. Why is it important for the pharmacist to
measure the medicine accurately and precisely? What might happen if they didn’t?”
 “How does measurement help in building things like houses or furniture? What could go wrong
if builders weren’t precise in their measurements?”

ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION (5-7 minutes)

Homework/Assignment: Suggestion
Research and find an example of how accuracy and precision are They can choose one of
important in a real-life job the following
Expectation: occupations:
 Understand the importance of accuracy and precision Chef or Baker
 Give a real-life example of what might happen if accuracy or Doctor or Pharmacist
precision were not followed in this job or activity Architect or Engineer
Fashion Designer
Build a simple structure or model by measuring and cutting materials They can choose one of
accurately and precisely the following topics:
Expectation: Paper Airplane
 Write down the measurements you used for each part of your Mini Bridge
project. LEGO Model
 Reflect on whether they were accurate or needed adjustments Origami Figure
during the process.