Measurement (mass & weight): Fruit Bowl
Challenge level ⭐
(designed for children with prior knowledge of the Year 3 programme of study)
Learning Objective
We are learning how to solve a natural world problem by using and applying our knowledge and skills of measurement, weight and mass.
Useful prior knowledge:
- I know that for every kilogram (kg) there are 1,000 grams (g)
- I can add and subtract multiples of 50 and 100
Credit: BBC Four - Afterlife: The Strange Science of Decay
Clip Description
Plant-based foods (such as fruits and vegetables) and animal-based foods (such as meat, eggs and cheese) won’t last for long before they start to go rotten. This decay is caused by micro-organisms such as bacteria, yeasts and fungi that feed on the food and break it down. Foods and all living things that have died go through this process. It is part of the natural life cycle. Nutrients from once living things can be returned to the earth, recycled and used again by living things.
In this fascinating clip, we are shown some different types of fruit that have been left unattended in a fruit bowl for a long time. What do you think will happen to the size and weight of the different fruits in the bowl? Watch the clip to find out.
Quick Whiteboard Challenge
A small grape weighs 5 grams.
Using this fact, can you estimate the weight of some of the fruits that were in the fruit bowl before they started to decay?
an apple = ? a pineapple = ? a banana = ?