Year 3 Teaching Sequence spring M3 – Weight (three days)
Prerequisites:
 Estimate, measure and compare weights, choosing and using suitable standard units and suitable measuring
instruments (see Year 2 teaching sequence M3 and oral and mental starter bank M3)
 Understand place value of three-digit numbers (see teaching sequence 1 and oral and mental starter bank M3)
 Order and locate numbers to a landmarked 0-1000 (100s labelled) (see teaching sequence 2 and oral and mental
starter bank M3)
Overview of progression:
Children compare objects with kilogram and 100g weights and then use scales to check. They learn to read scales to the
nearest labelled division and weigh their shoes to the nearest 100 grams.
Note that, scientifically speaking, the weight of an object is the force of gravity upon it. In the same scientific language,
the mass of an object is the amount of ‘matter’ or ‘stuff’ in it. For scientific work, we should therefore refer to a kilogram
as measuring the mass of an object. However, in common parlance, because gravity may be regarded as a constant, we refer
to the mass of an object as its weight, and give its measurement in kilograms and grams or pounds and ounces, etc. The
term weight is used throughout Hamilton sequences. In science lessons children will typically learn the difference between
weight and mass in upper KS2, and will then use the term ‘mass’ instead of ‘weight’ as appropriate in their science work.
Note that the individuals/paired practice activities in this sequence contain two activities which can be rotated to help with
the management of classroom resources. You will need to reorganise these according the number of scales etc you have
available.
Note that the bag of rice/sugar, can of tomatoes and banana are introduced to give chn a familiar benchmark against which
to compare other items, having gained some idea of what 200g, 400g and 1kg feel like.
Note that the data collected (weights of shoes) in session 3 is needed in teaching sequence D3.
Watch out for children whose knowledge of placing three-digit numbers round the multiples of 100 is insecure.
© Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y3 Maths TS_M3 – Spr – 3days
Objectives:
 Know the relationship between kilograms and grams and choose and use appropriate units to estimate, measure and record
measurements
Whole class
Group activities
Paired/indiv practice
Resources
Pass around a kilogram bag of rice (or sugar). This bag of
rice weighs one kilogram. It’s quite heavy! Write 1kg on the
board. This is a quick way of writing one kilogram.
Can you think of anything that might weigh more than one
kilogram? Less than one kilogram? Can you think of anything
that might weigh about one kilogram? Test out a few ideas
(e.g. book, shoe), showing chn how to read the scales to see
if the objects are more or less than one kilogram. Show them
how to zero the scales first if necessary.
Pass round a one gram weight and write 1g on the board to
show the abbreviation for grams. Feel how light this is! Can
you think of anything that might weigh about one gram? We’d
have to have very sensitive scales to check. One kilogram is
the same as 1000 grams, so if we put one thousand of these
weights on one side of the scales and the bag of rice on the
other, they would balance.
Launch the ITP, choose a maximum of 1000 and an interval of
10. Ask chn to close their eyes whilst you add 650 grams of
weights (500, 100 and 50) to the pan, and then click on the
pan icon to hide it. Open your eyes. What is the total weight
in the pan? Talk to your partner about how you know. Click to
reveal the pan to check.
Group of 4-5 children
Show chn a selection of five objects
weighing between 100g and 1kg. Pass
them around and ask them to put them
in order of weight, comparing two at a
time, holding one in each hand. Once an
order is agreed, children weigh one
item each, and record its weight to the
nearest 100g on a Post-it. They stick
the Post-its to the object, keeping
them in the original order. Does the
original order need adjusting?
Repeat with a series of cans and
packets, with weights obscured by
Post-its. Remove the Post-its, and
check the order.
Harder: Chn weigh items to the nearest
50grams.
Chn estimate which items
weigh less than 1kg and which
weigh more than 1kg, by
comparing them with a
kilogram weight. They then
weigh them to check,
recording their results.
Chn convert kg to grams (see
Activity sheet).
Easier: Chn’s estimates may
be less accurate. Suggest a
table to record their results,
with headings ‘lighter than
1kg’ and ‘heavier than 1kg’.
Harder: Chn estimate which
of the objects is closest to
one kilogram in weight. Also
challenge chn to find at least
one other object from around
the room that is lighter than
1kg and one that is heavier
than 1kg but lighter than 2kg.
 1kg bag of rice
or sugar
 1g weight
 Tins with
weights of less
than 1kg
 ITP Measuring
scales
 A range of tins
and packets of
different
weights
 1kg weights
 Items weighing
between 500g
and 2kg
 Scales suitable
for measuring
up to 3kg
 Activity sheet
(see resources)
© Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y3 Maths TS_M3 – Spr – 3days
Discuss how the needle is pointing to halfway between 600
and 700 & each little mark represents 10 grams. Repeat with
other multiples of 50, asking chn to record the weights on
their whiteboards.
Pass round a banana. This banana weighs about 200 grams.
Pass round a 400g can of tomatoes. This can of tomatoes
weighs 400 grams. Can you see anything around the room
that might weigh more than 200g but less than a kilogram?
Test out chn’s ideas, e.g. books, pencil cases.
Launch the ITP, choose a maximum of 500 and an interval of
10. Ask chn to close their eyes whilst you add 260 grams of
weights (100, 100 and 60) to the pan, and than click on the
pan icon to hide it. Open your eyes. What is the total weight
in the pan? Talk to your partner about how you know. Click to
reveal the pan to check.
Discuss how the needle is pointing to the mark after 250
grams, and that each little mark represents 10 grams.
Group of 4-5 children
Ask chn to weigh the ingredients for a
recipe, e.g. Granola bars
 100g butter , plus extra for
greasing
 200g porridge oats
 100g sunflower seeds
 50g sesame seeds
 50g chopped walnuts
 3 tbsp honey
 100g light muscovado sugar
 1 tsp ground cinnamon
 100g dried fruit (raisins,
sultanas, cranberries , cherries
or blueberries, or a mix)
Heat oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas mark
3. Butter and line the base of an 18 x
25cm tin. Mix the oats, seeds and nuts
© Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Chn estimate which items
weigh less than 100g and
which weigh more than 100g,
comparing them to a 100gram
weight and then weigh them
to check, recording their
results.
Chn choose whether the
weight of objects should be
measured in kilograms or
grams (see Activity sheet).
Easier: Chn’s estimates may
be less accurate. Suggest a
table to record their results,
with headings ‘lighter than
100g’ and ‘heavier than 100g’.
Harder: Chn estimate which
of the objects is closest to
 Banana and a
can of
soup/tomatoes
weighting 400g
 ITP Measuring
scales
 100g gram
weights
 Ingredients,
kitchen scales,
bowl,
 Items weighing
between 50g
and 300g
 Scales suitable
for measuring
up to 500g
 Activity sheet
Y3 Maths TS_M3 – Spr – 3days
Repeat with other multiples of 10, asking chn to record the
weights on their whiteboards.
Launch the ITP measuring scales, choosing a maximum of
1000 and an interval of 10. Children close their eyes. Add
620g of weights. Open your eyes. I want to know the weight
to the nearest hundred grams. Which is the nearest 100s
number? Write it on your whiteboards.
Repeat with numbers between multiples of 100.
Repeat, asking chn to round the weights to the nearest 50 g.
in a roasting tin, then put in the oven
for 5-10 mins to roast.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan
together with the butter, honey and
sugar. Add the oat mix, cinnamon and
dried fruit, and mix well. Tip into the
tin, press down lightly, and then bake
for 30 mins. Cool in tin, and then cut
into bars.
Easier:/Harder: Chn will need more or
less help in weighing the ingredients
according to their attainment in this
area.
100g in weight. Also challenge
chn to find at least one other
object from around the room
that is lighter than 100g and
one that is heavier than 100g
but lighter than 500g.
Group of 4-5 children
Show chn a range of scales with
different ranges and different sized
pans, e.g. kitchen scales, bathroom
scales, digital scales if you have them,
and scales used earlier in the week to
measure weights up to 3kg.
Show objects of very different
weights, e.g. laptop computer, pencil,
carton of milk, a tambourine etc.
Ask chn to discuss which scales would
be best to find the weight of each,
discussing both the range and the size
of pans. Find the weight of each object
as well as that of a volunteer child.
Easier:/Harder: Choose a degree of
accuracy appropriate to the attainment
of the chn (e.g. to the nearest 1kg,
100g depending on scales being used).
Chn work in pairs to weigh
their shoes to the nearest
100g.
Chn choose a likely weight
for given items (see Activity
sheet).
Harder: Chn measure the
weight to the nearest 50g.
© Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
NB Keep this data for
teaching sequence D3.
(see resources)
 As wide a
range of scales
as possible and
a range of
objects (e.g.
those opposite)
to weigh
 Scales suitable
for measuring
up to 1kg
 Activity sheet
(see resources)
Y3 Maths TS_M3 – Spr – 3days