Gravity and Weight

👩‍🏫 **Teacher’s Guide**

**Objective**  
Differentiate mass and weight and explain gravity as a force that pulls objects toward Earth’s center.

**Vocabulary**  
<ul>
<li><span class="hidden-answer" data-answer="gravity"></span> — A force that pulls objects toward Earth</li><li><span class="hidden-answer" data-answer="mass"></span> — How much matter is in something</li><li><span class="hidden-answer" data-answer="weight"></span> — The pull of gravity on an object</li><li><span class="hidden-answer" data-answer="attract"></span> — To pull toward</li><li><span class="hidden-answer" data-answer="astronaut"></span> — A space traveler</li>
</ul>

**Teaching Notes**  
Use the moon–Earth weight comparison; keep distinction mass ≠ weight.

**Answer Key**  
Gravity pulls downward; weight measures pull of gravity; mass stays the same.

**Extension Ideas**  
Create a moon vs. Earth weight chart for classroom objects in 'relative units.'

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🧒 **Student Worksheet**

**Concept and Helping Material**  
Gravity pulls things down. Weight is how strong gravity pulls on an object. Your mass stays the same on Earth or the Moon, but your weight changes.

**Words to Learn**  
- Gravity ___ us to Earth.<br>- Your mass ___ (changes / stays the same) on the Moon.<br>- Weight is the pull of ___.

**Sentences to Fill In**  
- Why did the water stop squirting when the cup was dropped? ___<br>- Would your mass change on the Moon? ___<br>- Would your weight change on the Moon? ___

**Hands-On Experiment — Falling Water Test**  

**What You Need**  
paper cup, pencil, water, outdoor space

**What You Do**  
Poke a hole near the cup bottom; observe stream; drop the cup and observe the stream stopping as both fall together.

**Reflection**  
- Why did the water stop squirting when the cup was dropped? <span class="hidden-answer" data-answer="Cup and water fell together, so water no longer pushed out."></span> (Answer may vary.)
Would your mass change on the Moon? Your weight? (Answer may vary.)