Measuring Mass with Non-Standard Units — Interactive Lesson (Ages 5–6)

How many cubes does the apple weigh? This 16-slide interactive lesson introduces measuring mass with cubes and balance scales.

Learning Measuring Mass in Year 1 Maths

Children learn to use non-standard units, such as cubes or wooden bricks, to measure the mass of an object, and to understand that a balanced scale means the objects have the same mass. They decide what it means when a scale is balanced, find the mass of an aubergine, a cake and a fruit bowl in cubes, and place cubes on a scale to balance a muffin of 6 cubes, a mug of 5 cubes or an ice cream of 3 cubes.

What’s Included

• 16-slide interactive lesson on measuring mass
• Learning objectives on non-standard units and balanced scales
• Questions reading the mass of everyday objects in cubes
• Drag-and-drop activities balancing a scale with cubes
• A reasoning and problem-solving question with instant feedback

Key Benefits for Students

• Builds a concrete idea of mass and comparison
• Shows what a balanced scale means
• Uses familiar objects such as fruit, cake and books
• Instant feedback on answer questions

Why Teachers Love It

• No prep — ready for whole-class teaching on an interactive whiteboard
• Pairs naturally with real balance scales and cubes
• Self-marking questions support independent practice
• Suits small groups and whole-class sessions
• A concise lesson that fits a single session

Love this? You’ll love…

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A dependable addition to a Year 1 measures topic, giving children a hands-on way into measuring mass. Comparing and measuring with non-standard units prepares them for grams and kilograms later.

Make measuring mass simple — Add to Basket.

FAQ

What year group is this for? Year 1 (ages 5–6).

Does it use standard units? No — it uses non-standard units such as cubes.

Is it self-marking? Yes, with instant feedback on the questions.