The bucket balance asks children to figure out which side is heavier, which side is lighter, and to consider notions of “more and less.”  But perhaps more interesting to the egocentric child, is the way the bucket balance can be used to find the “same” weight.

Why is making the balance even more interesting than the exploration of more and less?  Because the young child has an innate interest in issues of fairness and equality.  They want to know how power differentials come to be and why some people seem to fit while others don’t.  They have a vested interest in why their older siblings get to stay up later than they do and why some kids seem to always push to the front of the line.  These are issues of social parity and push them to explore the concept that “fair doesn’t always mean equal.” Making things exactly the same is the ultimate test and one that is difficult  to accomplish even for adults.

As children put rocks in one of the buckets in order to get it to balance, they see how difficult it is to make it exactly even.  This is especially true when using nonstandard units such as rocks.  They work very hard testing and retesting the sides, lining up their faces with the table looking for the smallest discrepancies in the weight distribution.

Often they have to trade one heavy rock for two smaller rocks.  This challenge continues until they are satisfied that it is even and balanced.  Try this in your own classroom with rocks or seashells or twigs and see what happens.

The premise is simple.  Take a whole bunch of shiny strings of beads (the New Orleans Mardi Gras kind work really well) and make a pile of them in one area of your indoor gross motor area, or outside if it is warm.

The children decide the rules.  They may choose to make it a chasing game, where some children are the Stealers and some children are the Rescuers.  The Stealers run to the jewels and steal one string (or two, if the children choose that) and try to get their jewels to the Stealers’ place.  The Rescuers try to tag the Stealers, and if successful, the Stealers give up their jewels and they are returned to the original spot.

It is helpful to suggest some ground rules that are sure to encourage fair play.  Perhaps each child can only steal one string at a time and no one can take a string away from someone who has it in their hands. Encourage the children to make rules that prohibit grabbing the jewels from each other, or tagging too hard.  It works best if the Rescuers assign one child to be the Protector of the jewels, and only the Protector can hover around the pile.

Another way to play is to hide the jewels all over the space and instead of Stealers and Rescuers, the children try to get as many of the jewels back to their jewel chest as possible.  At the end of the round, use a Bucket Balance to measure and weigh the jewels to see which team has more. This game is fun, exciting, engaging, and the math possibilities are strong. It is interesting for the children to also count the strings of jewels to see if there are “more” in the heavier” pile.

Remember, young children may be fooled by appearances, so they may think that something that is “bigger” may weigh more, while that might not be true at all.

Learning Resources says of the Bucket Balance that it is “Perfect for exploring basic measurement concepts.” Children can measure, explore volume and compare solids and liquids.

This coming Thursday, I am going to write about a gross motor game that uses the bucket balance.  I think you are going to like it.

This book is filled with really great ideas that begin with an exploration of weight.  Over the next couple of weeks I want to explore balance and weight as a Thursday Theme of November.  I am going to weave in some ideas of abundance and scarcity as well because November is often the time we think about the celebration of the harvest.

Balance

As a start, have children close their eyes and place an object in each of their hands.  Ask them which one feels heavier?  It is OK if they open their eyes  even though they may be confused by the appearance of the objects.  If one of the objects is bigger, the child may naturally believe that is is heavier. It doesn’t matter if they are right or wrong since you will follow it up with an exercise to find out which one is actually heavier.  Be sure to use the word lighter as well while you explore.

Now break out the classroom balance.  Place the objects on either side of the balance to discover which is heavier.  Start with dissimilar objects (a book and a marble) so the difference is remarkable.  Later, il you use two objects that are similar (i.e., a grapefruit and an apple) it might be less obvious to the children but more fun to explore.

These pictures were taken in an older 2’s classroom.  The two children balanced the fruits from the housekeeping area for a really long time.  As I observed them, they put dissimilar fruits on each side and tried to add fruit and take away fruit to get the balance to stay even.

In designated areas, there are gold mining barons, who sit perched in a squat all day waiting for those specks of gold to be weighed.  Everyone uses a traditional balance scale, putting the gold on one side and the small weights on the other, until balanced.  It is fascinating to watch.  Everyone involved in the process can eyeball the gold dust and know exactly how much it is worth.

Balances and scales are rich with opportunities for children to consider weight and size.  Remember, young children are fooled by appearances, so they may think that something that is “bigger” may weigh more, while that might not be true at all.

Learning Resources says of the Bucket Balance that it is “Perfect for exploring basic measurement concepts.” Children can measure, explore volume and compare solids and liquids.

I like to put the bucket balance in both the water and the sand tables.  Children explore filling and dumping while trying to get it to balance in the middle.

Here is a great lesson plan on using the bucket balance

How do you use the Bucket Balance?

I would love to have a balance like this one in my classroom.

Learning Standard B – Begin to make estimates of measurements.

Benchmarks

7.B.ECa  Practice estimating in everyday play and solving everyday measurement problems.

Example Performance Descriptors

Make predictions and estimations during play (e.g., estimate how many scoops of sand it will take to fill a small bucket at the sand table).

Estimate to solve a task (e.g., during block play, estimate how many blocks are needed to make the road being constructed reach the wall).

WOW!  I wish this one had performance descriptors that indicated development over time.  Knowing that it will take 3 buckets of sand to fill a large container requires a certain amount of conservation.  A child needs to know that when put together, the 3 buckets are about the same as the large container.  If Piaget was even close to being right about a young child’s ability to conserve quantity, then this task is not very developmentally appropriate.

Now if the descriptor said, “Estimate if it will take many buckets to fill the sand table, or only a few buckets to fill the sand table” we might see children more able to “estimate” the quantity (if indeed estimation of measurement is the expectation).

What do you think?  Can your kids tell you about how many blocks they will need to construct a road across the rug?

Learning Standard C – Explore tools used for measurement

Benchmarks

7.C.ECa  Explore the use of standard instruments to measure objects and quantities with teacher assistance.

Example Performance Indicators

Use standards measuring tools, with teacher assistance (e.g., use a measuring tape to measure how far a child can jump).

Use a variety of similar tools for measurement (e.g., use both balance scales and scales that provide a numerical weight to explore objects in the classroom).

Know that thermometers measure temperature and clocks measure time.

I like this one better than the last.  As least it leaves room for developmental variability and allows for adult assistance.  A tape measure is a great classroom tool, that is pretty interesting in and of itself (just pulling it out and then releasing it) so as a tool is is engaging. Measuring with it and understanding what that means is a bit more complicated. However,  within the construct of play, I can see children using the tape measure in the was it is meant to be used.

Balance scales and other kinds of scales are also really wonderful measurement tools for the classroom. Trying to get a balance scale to “balance” is a fun task for children and and “weighing” things (especially themselves if you have a bathroom scale in the classroom)is also developmentally appropriate.

They make all of these things so they are easy-to-use with large numbers and clear indicators for young children.  Making these tools available throughout the day, during play, will allow children to get comfortable with them  and will give them opportunities to explore their functions.