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"How many bears?”
Children experiment with how balance scales work and build on their prior knowledge from the emerging phase of comparing objects. This open-ended activity engages children in hands-on measuring of informal units to quantify mass. The informal units they are using are plastic teddy bears. They investigate how many bears are needed to balance the scale when weighing different objects.
Activity inspired by research by McDonough et al. (2013).
Materials
Balance Scales
Plastic Teddy bear counters - papa bears, mama bears & baby bears
4 objects per child brought from home
Mathematic exercise books and pens for recording data
Activity
The activity commences with a whole class group discussion.
Introduce the children to informal units - there are three different sized teddy bears. Children are familiar with the story of Goldilocks and the three bears and using familiar non formal units will create interest and meaning.
The balance scale is introduced and demonstrated.
Questions the teacher may pose to the children include;
- What does the balance scale tell us if the side with the object is lower than the side with the teddies?
- What does it mean when the scale is balanced?
Four work stations will be set up in the room. Children in small groups of mixed ability will start off at a work station and rotate around the room.
Taking turns at each work station, they will weigh their items and record their findings. Eg: Station 1: My cat toy weighs 12 papa teddy bears.
Station 1 - papa bears used as informal units
Station 2 - mama bears to used as informal units
Station 3 - baby bears to use as informal units
Station 4 - mixture of bears to use as informal units.
Once all groups have completed each station, a whole class discussion to discuss the mass of the objects weighed according to the number and type of bears used.
Questions may include:
- What did you notice about the number of papa bears needed to balance the scale compared to the number of baby bears?
- When using a mix of different types of bears what did you notice?
Enabling prompt
Students can select just two items to weigh instead of four to allow them more time to experiment and record their findings.
Students can skip the mixed bear station - station 4.
Extension
Students can be given extra items to measure.
Students can be asked to order their items from lightest to heaviest.
Source: Educational Art Supplies
21st Century Skills Developed:
Critical Thinking
Children are able to select their own items to weigh from home enabling them to think more deeply than if they were just given a predetermined list to measure. The different work stations provide the children with exposure to measuring with different types of bears (units), and enable them to think about key considerations when using informal units for mass measurement.
Creativity
As items to weigh are selected from home, the objects are familiar and meaningful to the children. There is room for creativity and added exposure measuring different items than if they were just given the same specified list of objects to measure.
Communication
Small group work enables the children to partake in conversations. They also have more confidence and motivation in talking to peers about the objects they have selected from home. The activity also permits the teacher to involve the children in whole class discussions. Additionally, she has opportunity to walk around and engage the groups in rich conversations.
Collaboration
The groups are allocated in mixed ability to ensure inclusion and so that the children can participate together and support each other.
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