MAFS.3.MD.1.2Archived Standard

Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l). Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the same units.

Remarks

Examples of Opportunities for In-Depth Focus

Continuous measurement quantities such as liquid volume, mass, and so on are an important context for fraction arithmetic (cf. 4.NF.2.4c, 5.NF.2.7c, 5.NF.2.3). In grade 3, students begin to get a feel for continuous measurement quantities and solve whole- number problems involving such quantities.
General Information
Subject Area: Mathematics
Grade: 3
Domain-Subdomain: Measurement and Data
Cluster: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts
Cluster: Solve problems involving measurement and estimation of intervals of time, liquid volumes, and masses of objects. (Major Cluster) -

Clusters should not be sorted from Major to Supporting and then taught in that order. To do so would strip the coherence of the mathematical ideas and miss the opportunity to enhance the major work of the grade with the supporting clusters.

Date Adopted or Revised: 02/14
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived
Assessed: Yes
Test Item Specifications

  • Assessment Limits :
    Items may not contain compound units such as cubic centimeters (cm3) or finding the geometric volume of a container. Items may not require multiplicative comparison (e.g., “times as much/many”). Unit conversions are not allowed. Units are not limited to grams, kilograms, and liters.
  • Calculator :

    No

  • Context :

    Allowable

Sample Test Items (4)

  • Test Item #: Sample Item 2
  • Question:

    Gina and Maurice have same-sized containers filled with different amounts of water, as shown.

    Gina's container has 4 Liters (L) of water. About how much water, in liters (L), does Maurice's container have?

  • Difficulty: N/A
  • Type: EE: Equation Editor

  • Test Item #: Sample Item 3
  • Question:

    Gina and Maurice have the containers shown.

    Gina does not know how much water is in her container. Maurice's container is the same size as Gina's container. About how much less water, in liters (L), does Gina have than Maurice?

  • Difficulty: N/A
  • Type: EE: Equation Editor

  • Test Item #: Sample Item 4
  • Question:

    Maurice and Gina each have a container of water, as shown.

    What is the difference, in liters (L), between the amounts of water in their containers?

  • Difficulty: N/A
  • Type: EE: Equation Editor

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5012050: Grade Three Mathematics (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5020040: Science - Grade Three (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7712040: Access Mathematics Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7720040: Access Science Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
5020100: STEM Lab Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2016 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5012055: Grade 3 Accelerated Mathematics (Specifically in versions: 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5012015: Foundational Skills in Mathematics 3-5 (Specifically in versions: 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Assessment

Grade 3 Physical Science Unit: Properties Assessment :

Use this summative assessment to assess the students' understanding of the topics presented in within this Grade 3 Physical Science Unit: Properties.  The assessment can either be cumulative or broken into topics presented within the unit.

This assessment is part of the CPALMS Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Assessment

Educational Game

Estimation of Length, Area, and Volume:

The students will be presented with two shapes and must estimate how many times the smaller will fit in the larger. They will be surprised at some of the results but will quickly learn and make adjustments.

Type: Educational Game

Formative Assessments

Estimating and Measuring Mass:

Students are asked to estimate the mass (in grams) of a stapler and then are asked to determine its actual mass using a scale or balance.

Type: Formative Assessment

Addition and Subtraction with Mass and Volume:

Students solve two one-step word problems about mass and volume.

Type: Formative Assessment

Estimating and Measuring Volume:

Students are asked to estimate the volume (in liters) of a container and then are asked to determine its actual volume using beakers.

Type: Formative Assessment

Multiplication and Division with Mass and Volume:

Students solve two one-step word problems about mass and volume.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 1 Observations:

Students learn that making observations is an important aspect of scientific study. Students will review concepts about water by making observations based on different properties and states of matter of water. Students will also review how to measure volume, mass and temperature as they will use these skills throughout the unit.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit  https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 12 Engineering Design Problem: Beat the Heat Part 3: Testing a Cooler:

In this engineering design problem, students will have the opportunity to apply what they
learned about the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and
cooling by designing their own cooler. Students will be asked to use the engineering design
process to design a cooler that will reduce the melting of frozen water in hot temperatures
at the beach. Students will need to design and build their cooler, test their materials, and
justify their design decisions. In this lesson students will test their cooler’s effectiveness in
keeping ice from melting. In subsequent lessons students will improve their designs.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

 

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 5 Evaporation Experiment:

Students set up an experiment and gather data to investigate the evaporation of water.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit ofSaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

.

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 4 Melting Experiment:

Students set up an experiment and gather data to investigate the melting of solid water.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit ofSaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

.

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Properties Lesson 10 Grouping by Mass:

Students will make objects of given masses based on identified animal needs using a balance.  This lesson could also be taught using mathematics instructional time. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Properties Lesson 14 Volume: Solids Displacement:

Students will make learn how to find the volume of irregular objects using a graduated cylinder. Students will solve problems based on the volume of irregular objects and determine the volumes of given objects. This lesson could also be taught using mathematics instructional time. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Properties Lesson 13 Introduction to Displacement:

Students will make learn how to find the volume of irregular objects using a graduated cylinder. Students will solve problems based on the volume of irregular objects and determine the volumes of given objects. This lesson could also be taught using mathematics instructional time. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Properties Lesson 12 Volume: Liquids:

Students will learn how to use a graduated cylinder to make observations based on the volume of liquids. Students will solve word problems based on volume and measure out given liquid volumes. This lesson could also be taught using mathematics instructional time.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Properties Lesson 11 Introduction to Volume:

Students will learn how to use a graduated cylinder to make observations based on the volume of liquids.  This lesson could also be taught using mathematics instructional time.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

 

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Properties Lesson 7 Measuring Mass:

Students will make observations and sort items based on the mass of materials using a balance.  This lesson could also be taught using mathematics instructional time. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit  https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Properties Lesson 8 Mass Solids:

Students will make observations and sort items based on the mass of materials using a balance. This lesson could also be taught using mathematics instructional time.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

Type: Lesson Plan

Physical Science Unit: Properties Lesson 9 Mass: Liquids:

Students will make observations and sort liquid items based on the mass of materials using a balance.  This lesson could also be taught using mathematics instructional time. 

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Properties. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures at the CPALMS Rehabilitation and Conservation Center.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx .

 

Type: Lesson Plan

Max Mass Movers:

In this design challenge, students will explore the measurement of mass and properties of matter as they design a container that can hold the most mass.

Type: Lesson Plan

What's the Matter with a Crayon?:

In this lesson, students will cooperatively measure the mass and volume of three different-colored crayons as a solid. After recording measurements, students will place their crayons in molds in order to change the state of matter from a solid to a liquid through heating. The teacher will pour the liquefied crayon into a graduated cylinder to measure the volume. Following the measurements recording, the liquid will be poured back into the molds and placed in a cool/shaded environment so the crayons will change back into a solid state. Once the crayons re-solidify, the students will take their student-made, tie-dye crayon out of the mold and re-measure it. Lastly, the students will measure and compare their final measurements to the initial measurements.

Type: Lesson Plan

Let's Go, H2O!:

This STEM challenge will engage 3rd grade students in thinking about the ways that a drought can affect a region or nation and how to find a solution to this problem. Students will construct a pipeline to transport water from point A to point B while overcoming gravity and will measure the volume of liquid before and after it travels through the pipeline. This STEM challenge combines architectural engineering with life science and mathematical measurement skills.

Type: Lesson Plan

Is that Estimate Correct?:

In this lesson, students will estimate water volume in three containers and record observations. Following estimations, students will directly measure the volumes using an appropriate method. After comparing those measurements to the estimates, students will be given a known volume of water and will be asked to divide the water into three predetermined volumes, again using estimation skills. A following measurement will be used to determine the difference between their volume estimate and the actual measured volume as distributed across three vessels.

Type: Lesson Plan

Kick The Can Man:

Students are asked to compare group observations, measure and estimate content of liquids, and prepare and participate in a range of conversations in order to design a method for choosing the healthiest beverage to supply to school children.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lessons

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 15 Beat the Heat MEA Part 2: Cooler Experiment:

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about describing
the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling. This MEA
is divided into four parts. In part 1, students will develop their hypothesis and receive
information on how to set up the cooler experiment. In part 2, students will use ice to test
the coolers they designed in Beat the Heat Engineering Design Lessons. Students will take
measurements and collect data on their cooler. In part 3, students will analyze the data
they collected. Finally, in part 4 they will develop a procedure for selecting the most
effective cooler to keep water frozen the longest at the beach. In the optional twist,
students will need to take the mass of the cooler into account.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 16 Beat the Heat MEA Part 3: Analyzing Cooler Data:

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about describing
the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling. This MEA
is divided into four parts. In part 1, students will develop their hypothesis and receive
information on how to set up the cooler experiment. In part 2, students will be asked to use
ice to test the coolers they designed in Beat the Heat Engineering Design Lessons.
Students will take measurements and collect data on their cooler. In Part 3 of this activity,
students will analyze the data they collected in Part 2 by drawing and interpreting a scaled
bar graph and line graph. Students will participate in a discussion about how to interpret the
data that was collected. Finally, in part 4 they will develop a procedure for selecting the best
cooler to keep water frozen the longest at the beach. In the optional twist, students will
need to take the mass of the cooler into account.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 17 Beat the Heat MEA Part 4: Ranking Procedure:

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about describing
the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling. This MEA
is divided into four parts. In part 1, students will develop their hypothesis and receive
information on how to set up the cooler experiment. In part 2, students will be asked to use
ice to test the coolers they designed in Beat the Heat Engineering Design Lessons.
Students will take measurements and collect data on their cooler. In part 3, students will
analyze the data they collected. Finally, in part 4 they will develop a procedure for selecting
the best cooler to keep water frozen the longest at the beach. They will communicate their
findings and procedure via a letter to next year’s class. In the optional twist, students will
need to take the mass of the cooler into account.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit of SaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 9 Cool Cooler Design Model-Eliciting Activity (MEA):

In this MEA, students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about describing
the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling. Students
will be asked to rank coolers based on data to solve an open-ended, realistic problem, while
considering constraints and tradeoffs. In the optional twist, students will need to take the
mass of the cooler into account.

This is a lesson in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit on Water. This is a themed unit ofSaM-1's adventures while on a Beach Vacation.  To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

 

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

Original Student Tutorials

Lessons 8 and 9 Video: Mass: Solids and Liquids:

In this SaM-1 video, students will learn how to measure the mass of solids and liquids using a balance.  Students will learn that they need to subtract the mass of the container the solid or liquid is in to determine the mass of only the solid or liquid. Students will then make observations and sort items based on mass.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 17 Video:

This SaM-1 video provides the students with the optional "twist" for Lesson 17 and the Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) they have been working on in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation. 

 

To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Lesson 13 Video: Introduction to Displacement :

In this SaM-1 Video, students will learn how to find the volume of irregular objects using a graduated cylinder and the displacement method.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Lesson 11 Video: Introduction to Volume:

In this SaM-1 video, students will learn how to use a graduated cylinder to make observations based on the volume of liquids. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Lesson 7 Video: Measuring Mass:

Help SaM-1 make observations and sort items based on the mass of materials using a triple-beam balance and equal-arm balance. In this video, you will also become familiar with metric units for measuring mass: gram and kilogram.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Timmy's Trouble with Taffy:

Learn to estimate and measure the masses of objects in grams and kilograms in this interactive tutorial with an animal hospital theme.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Professional Development

What Does It Mean To Measure?:

This is a professional development session from the Learning Math series from Annenberg. Learners will begin to explore the questions "What can be measured?" and "What does it mean to measure something?" Learners identify measurable properties of objects such as weight, surface area, and volume, and discuss which metric units are appropriate for measuring these properties. Learners will also learn that measurement is, by its nature, approximate. Finally, learners will consider how to make measurements using nonstandard units. This session features a number of problems for learners to solve and open-ended questions to discuss, videos that demonstrate measurement techniques, and an interactive activity that asks learners to construct shapes using different size triangles to foster understanding of area and perimeter. There are also nine homework problems in which learners are asked to generate different measurements, graph measurements, and evaluate the appropriateness of the measurements generated using a data chart. Many of the professional development activities can be used directly in the classroom.

Type: Professional Development

Teaching Idea

Weighing In:

"Grocery shopping offers opportunities for children to increase their estimation and measurement skills by choosing and weighing fruit and vegetables" (from ed.gov parent resources). Kids are estimating the weight of different items and confirm their estimates by weighing afterward. Kids are encouraged to use different units of measurement and compare the number of heavier / lighter items necessary for a certain weight. This is one of seven in a series of activities for practicing math skills at the grocery store.

Type: Teaching Idea

Tutorial

Liter intuition:

In this tutorial video from Khan Academy, explore questions such as: What is the volume of a jar of milk? How about a spoon? A swimming pool?

Type: Tutorial

STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

Kick The Can Man:

Students are asked to compare group observations, measure and estimate content of liquids, and prepare and participate in a range of conversations in order to design a method for choosing the healthiest beverage to supply to school children.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

MFAS Formative Assessments

Addition and Subtraction with Mass and Volume:

Students solve two one-step word problems about mass and volume.

Estimating and Measuring Mass:

Students are asked to estimate the mass (in grams) of a stapler and then are asked to determine its actual mass using a scale or balance.

Estimating and Measuring Volume:

Students are asked to estimate the volume (in liters) of a container and then are asked to determine its actual volume using beakers.

Multiplication and Division with Mass and Volume:

Students solve two one-step word problems about mass and volume.

Original Student Tutorials Mathematics - Grades K-5

Timmy's Trouble with Taffy:

Learn to estimate and measure the masses of objects in grams and kilograms in this interactive tutorial with an animal hospital theme.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

Lessons 8 and 9 Video: Mass: Solids and Liquids:

In this SaM-1 video, students will learn how to measure the mass of solids and liquids using a balance.  Students will learn that they need to subtract the mass of the container the solid or liquid is in to determine the mass of only the solid or liquid. Students will then make observations and sort items based on mass.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation Lesson 17 Video:

This SaM-1 video provides the students with the optional "twist" for Lesson 17 and the Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) they have been working on in the Grade 3 Physical Science Unit: Water Beach Vacation. 

 

To see all the lessons in the unit please visit https://www.cpalms.org/page818.aspx.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Lesson 13 Video: Introduction to Displacement :

In this SaM-1 Video, students will learn how to find the volume of irregular objects using a graduated cylinder and the displacement method.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Lesson 11 Video: Introduction to Volume:

In this SaM-1 video, students will learn how to use a graduated cylinder to make observations based on the volume of liquids. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Lesson 7 Video: Measuring Mass:

Help SaM-1 make observations and sort items based on the mass of materials using a triple-beam balance and equal-arm balance. In this video, you will also become familiar with metric units for measuring mass: gram and kilogram.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Timmy's Trouble with Taffy:

Learn to estimate and measure the masses of objects in grams and kilograms in this interactive tutorial with an animal hospital theme.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Educational Game

Estimation of Length, Area, and Volume:

The students will be presented with two shapes and must estimate how many times the smaller will fit in the larger. They will be surprised at some of the results but will quickly learn and make adjustments.

Type: Educational Game

Tutorial

Liter intuition:

In this tutorial video from Khan Academy, explore questions such as: What is the volume of a jar of milk? How about a spoon? A swimming pool?

Type: Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Teaching Idea

Weighing In:

"Grocery shopping offers opportunities for children to increase their estimation and measurement skills by choosing and weighing fruit and vegetables" (from ed.gov parent resources). Kids are estimating the weight of different items and confirm their estimates by weighing afterward. Kids are encouraged to use different units of measurement and compare the number of heavier / lighter items necessary for a certain weight. This is one of seven in a series of activities for practicing math skills at the grocery store.

Type: Teaching Idea

Tutorial

Liter intuition:

In this tutorial video from Khan Academy, explore questions such as: What is the volume of a jar of milk? How about a spoon? A swimming pool?

Type: Tutorial