Grade
PK

Math in Our World: Heavier or Lighter?

five apples in a basket

What do you notice? What do you see in this picture? Share your ideas with a friend or family member.

Here’s a math puzzle for you: This basket of apples has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 apples inside of it. Do you think this basket is heavy or light? Do you think you could pick up this basket of apples by yourself?

What is heavier than a basket of apples? What is lighter than a basket of apples? What might weigh about the same as a basket of 5 apples?

  • Figure out about how much 5 apples would weigh. If you don’t have 5 apples in your home to put in a bag or basket, think about what other things you might have that weigh about the same as an apple. I noticed that a small shoe is about as heavy as an apple. You can place 5 small shoes or other objects of similar weight in a bag or basket to see what the weight would feel like.
  • Can you find something around your home to help you with this puzzle?
    • What do you see that is heavier than a basket of apples?
    • What do you see that is lighter than a basket of apples?
    • Can you find something that is about the same weight?
  • Can you draw a picture to show which things are heavier and lighter than a basket of apples?
  • Tell someone about your work. Then ask them what they think is heavier, lighter, or the same weight as a basket of apples.
  • What else could you compare in your home? If you have an apple at home, try holding it in one hand and holding another item in the other hand. Which feels heavier. Can you sort the items you find by whether they feel heavy or light?
Printable Version

Google doc for printing and copying

Reference for Educators

Sample problems and solutions