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Article
Georgetown University

Georgetown University: News Values

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Learn the essential elements of every good news story from Gerald Lanson and Mitchell Stephens, authors of Writing and Reporting The News, who emphasize eleven judgments that journalism students should make when evaluating newsworthiness.
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Handout
NASA

Nasa: Flight: What Is Weight?

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover how the factor of weight affects airplanes in flight.
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Activity
University of California

Ucla K 6 Physics/astronomy: Mass, Weight, and Density

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This website provides explanations of mass, weight, and density with directions for building simple scales and balances. Provided as encouragement to teach these concepts to young children, it offers a good review for older students.
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Handout
University of North Carolina

A Dictionary of Units of Measurement

For Students 9th - 10th
This site contains an extensive list of various units of measurement known internationally and across several disciplines. Unit symbols are also included.
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Interactive
Visual Fractions

Visual Fractions: Platform Scale

For Students 6th - 8th
Students practice using scales like the one in a doctor's office. Five Gregs will drop on the scale to be weighed. Participants see how fast they can weigh the Gregs.
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Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Stretching a Penny

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students investigate how a spring stretches when different weights pull on it. They relate the stretch of the spring directly to the weight and vice-versa.
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Mineral Density: Teaching Accuracy, Slope, and Percent Error

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explore the meaning of density and use their math skills to graph mass/volume data, write an equation for a line, and interpret the slope of the line. Students also find the density of two unknown mineral samples and use those...
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating Balance: Change vs Interaction

For Teachers K - 1st
This activity is an introduction to balance for young learners. Students will explore how weight can influence the stability of an object and they will be asked to develop a question as they attempt to balance a shape on their finger.
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating Forces: Balloon Car Activity

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, teams of young scholars build a car out of common materials which is then propelled by the release of air out of a balloon and must travel a minimum distance. The activity is then extended to a competition to build the...
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Lesson Plan
University of Texas at Austin

Mathematics Teks Toolkit: Measuring Real Stuff

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
Nonstandard units of measure are used to compare lengths and weights of real-world objects.
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Lesson Plan
University of Texas at Austin

Mathematics Teks Toolkit: What's Poppin

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
Compare weights and volumes using popped and unpopped popcorn.
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Article
Society for Science and the Public

Science News for Students: Fat Becomes a Disease

For Students 9th - 10th
Article reports on a recent statement from the American Medical Association that obesity should be treated as a disease. Includes a vocabulary list of words from the article.
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Activity
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Backpack Challenge

For Students 3rd - 8th
Enter personal data about the weight of your backpack in an online survey and note whether boys or girls carry the heaviest backpacks. Analyze the data for patterns and make conclusions.
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Interactive
PBS

Pbs Kids: Dinosaur Train: Brachio Balance

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Help the dinosaur eat the leaf! It's the Claw Stars vs. the Prehistoric Predators in this balancing game. Click on the correct dinosaurs to add them to the rope until the weight of your team equals the weight of the other team.
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Mathline: Sand Babies (Pdf) [Pdf]

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
In this engaging lesson, students use a variety of measurement strategies in creating their own Sand Babies. Students explore standard and non-standard measurements, area, data collection and analysis, and graphing. Adaptations are...
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Website
Other

Cardiovascular Disease: Facts, Prevention, Treatment

For Students 9th - 10th
This site discusses lifestyle changes, nutrients, and medical options and precautions.
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Lesson Plan
Other

Pbs Mathline: It Takes Ten (Pdf) [Pdf]

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
A metric measurement lesson plan using grams, milliliters, and centimeters. This lesson offers a variety of "hands on" measurement activities using both the customary and metric systems. Additionally, this lesson plan offers extensions,...
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Math Space Odyssey: How Much Do You Weigh in Outer Space?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Demonstrate the ability to apply the use of decimals, fractions, ratios and proportions to situations based upon given information about planets in the solar system.
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Activity
Center of Science and Industry

Cosi Columbus: Weight for It!

For Students 3rd - 8th
Science experiment that demonstrates how balances work. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of how to compare the weight of different objects.
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Scientific American: The Intimate Machine: Weighing In

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Explore the "intelligent floor," which contains sensors that can track movements, and emulate the weighing technique associated with this technology. Explore the relationship between volume and mass and the difference between accuracy...
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Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Matter: Properties of Matter

For Students 3rd - 5th
A video and a short quiz on the properties of matter, covering mass, density, weight, and volume.
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Handout
Other

Metric Conversion Calculator and Charts

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Metric Conversions offers online calculators for making conversions, downloadable tables in many types of metric conversion (pdf format), and free conversion tools to put onto your website or dynamic pages.
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Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Tired Weight

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn how the air pressure in tires can be used to determine the weight of an automobile.
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Activity
University of Cambridge

University of Cambridge: Maths and Sports: Light Weights

For Students 10th - 12th
Could the location of the Olympic host city have an effect on weightlifting events? This activity provides an interesting context in which to engage with weight, mass and gravitation, and is aimed at A-level students (grades 10, 11, and...