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.

What can young children learn about Dr. Martin Luther King that is both appropriate and accurate? How can we use the anniversary of his birthday as a “teachable moment?”

I think we can begin with the notion of “a great man.”  Dr. King was a great man.  What does that mean?  Ask the children if they know any great people.  Ask what makes them great? Write down their answers.  Make a graph.  Explore their ideas.  I imagine that the children will have many wonderful answers and thoughtful ideas about these questions.

I would also incorporate ideas about fairness into this conversation.  Children are very interested in issues of fairness, justice, power, and control.  Dr. King believed in fairness and equality. Ask the children, “What does ‘being fair’ mean?” Investigate their ideas about fairness and justice.  Chart their answers.

Some children may think that “fair” means “equal.”  That is a very common way for young children to think about what is fair, in terms of equality.  When there is one cookie left in the house, they have to split it and they are told, “That is fair.” They are told and they believe that because each gets an even share of the cookie, fair means equal. However, they might also have an older sibling who gets to stay up later than they do.  This may not be equal, but it is fair. This is a much more difficult concept to understand and for the egocentric child, completely unfair.

Today, celebrate Dr. King’s birthday with a conversation about “great people” and “fairness.”  Both will honor his memory in a wonderful way.