Math Activity Lesson Plan

Topic: Measurement (Weight)

By: Mary Kiriakidis

Student ID: 501132393

Course Code: CCLD-317

For: Lovisa Fung

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Lesson Title: Weight Station Subject: Math

Unit Title: Measuring Different Attributes Time Required: 30 min
Grade: Kindergarten Date: March 8,2022

Learning Goals/ Outcomes (What do you want the students to know or be able to do at the end of the lesson?)
By the end of this lesson, students should understand the mathematical concept of the weight of an object and feel
confident using mathematical vocabulary for example heavy, light, heavier and lighter in order to compare and
describe different objects. Also, students should be able to understand the difference in definitions between weight
as the force of gravity on an object, and mass as the amount of material that the object is made of. Students should
also be able to understand the connection between mass and weight. The more mass in an object, the heavier that
object is.
Success Criteria (What will you observe that tells you that students are successful?)
Students should be able to sort objects based on their weight attributes in heavy and light.
Students should also be able to measure and compare the weight of two or more objects using a non-standard unit
of measure.
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Accommodations/ Modifications (How will you meet the needs of your students? What management strategies will you use?)
Provide different objects for students to sort based on their understanding of the weight of each object. Use hands
on investigating to determine the weight of different objects by describing, comparing and communicating the
students thinking. Students will have the opportunity to explore, compare and investigate the weight of loose
objects using the classroom balance scale.
Background Knowledge Required (What prior knowledge and or experiences need to be in place?)
Students have noticed that weight is not always the same for similar or different objects. For example, the
basketball they use to play is heavier than the beach ball. Students have noticed during play that the weight of
different objects determines their characteristics when in motion. For example, the heavier toy car is going faster
down the ramp. Students are using mathematical vocabulary like heavy, heavier, heaviest, light, lighter and
lightest to describe different objects.
Curriculum Expectations (Which expectation is the focus for your instruction?)
Overall Expectations:
Measure and compare objects through inquiry and play-based learning.
Specific Expectation:
Select an attribute in this case weight, to measure, determine an appropriate non-standard unit of measure and
measure and compare two or more objects using the balance scale.
Assessment (How will you know that the students have achieved the learning expectation? What assessment tool will you use?)
For Teacher:
Observe students’ engagement during lesson and at the math center during play time. Record anecdotal comments.
Observe if students can sort objects correctly based on weight.
For Students:
Exit card: Cut and paste activity of things that are heavy and things that are light.

Materials Key Questions

Basketball, beach ball, tennis ball, balloon, What do you think is the weight of an object?
book What do we know about light objects?
Balance scale What do we know about heavy objects?
Manipulatives (toy bears, pine cones, marbles, Are large objects always heavier?
toy cars, googly eyes, crayons, beads, rocks, Is size and weight the same thing?
gems, corks, pompoms, buttons, feathers)
Cut and paste handouts
Scissors
Glue
Pencils

Instruction (How will the students develop the knowledge and /practice the skills?.)
Duration Activity/Task
Introduction (How will you engage and motivate the students?)

10 min Students will be introduced to the lesson by explaining the concept of the weight of an
object as defined as the force that the Earth’s gravity puts on the material which this object
is made of.
The teacher will demonstrate how different things fall to the ground from a higher place
(example a feather and a tennis ball, a tissue paper and a book, a toy car and a balloon etc.)
Encourage children’s participation and grab their attention by asking questions like:
Why do you think some objects are taking longer to fall to the ground?
If you close your eyes and you hold with one hand the balloon, and with the other hand the
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toy car, can you tell the two apart with how heavy they are? Can you do the same with the
other objects? Is size and weight the same thing? Ask students to describe objects around
the classroom that are heavy, heavier and heaviest or light, lighter and lightest.

Body of Lesson (Describe the lesson.)

Introduce students to the balance scale as a tool to measure weight by reading aloud the
10 min book: “Balancing Act” by Ellen Stoll Walsh. Here is a read aloud video of the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjadnQufeIs
Use the balance scale to compare and measure the weight of different objects by using mini
toy bears (manipulatives) as a non-standard unit of measurement. How many bears have the
same weight as the toy car? How many crayons are equal with the weight of one bear? Ask
students to volunteer and help with measuring the weight of different objects. Use talking
out loud to describe the thinking process of observing the changes on the balance scale and
understanding which objects are heavier or lighter in the baskets. Compare and weigh at
least five different objects using the toy bears as a unit of measurement.
Conclusion (How will you wrap-up the lesson?)
Give students the opportunity to sort the manipulative items in what is light and what is
10 min heavy.
Individual handouts: Give each student the cut and paste activity (Use these handouts as an
assessment.)

Next Steps (What would you plan as a follow-up to this lesson? What homework would you assign?)

Allow students time to explore the balance scales in small groups at the math table by comparing and
investigating the weight of different objects.
Make a homemade scale using a hanger, two cups, four binder clips, and little objects around the house or
classroom to practice using the scale.
Sink and float experiment. Have different weighing objects put into a water container. Do you think there is a
connection between the weight of an object and if that object sinks or floats? Make connections with the
concepts of volume and mass in follow up lessons.
Personal Reflection (What worked well in this lesson? What changes could you make to improve the lesson?
Students enjoyed making their own home-made scale and practiced using different things from their
environment to measure the weight of different objects. Using hands on during the lesson was fun and
engaging. Use a cooking scale to introduce standard units of measuring weight as one of the next steps.

WEIGHT STATION
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Picture Caption: As an ECE I had a chance to work with students when completing a similar activity. Above
was one of my students in my 2019 full day kindergarten classroom practicing weighing different
manipulatives.

Instructions During Weighing Activity in the Match Center:

Allow students to compare the weight of different objects using the classroom’s balance scale:
Manipulatives can be toy bears, pine cones, marbles, toy cars, googly eyes, crayons, beads, rocks, gems, corks,
pompoms, buttons, feathers.

Practice Math Vocabulary: Use words including light, lighter, heavy, heavier as well as more, less, equal and
weight. Use open ended questions to promote student’s communication of their thinking on the topic.
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Free “Light or Heavy” Activity Handout from:

http://colormekinder.blogspot.com/2016/01/lesson-in-snap-iteach-kinder-linky.html
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Home Made Classroom Balance Scale

Empty Balance Scale Rock vs Crayon Balance Scale

Picture Caption: This activity and the board seen above, was used during online learning to
teach students about weight during the COVID-19 pandemic in my 2020 full day kindergarten
classroom. Students were encouraged to make their own version at home with parent or
guardian guidance and support. Once completed, the class shared pictures of the balance scales
from each child. Each child explained which items they used as manipulatives, as well as the
order of the weight of these manipulatives (which was heaviest etc).

Basic Materials:
-Hanger
-Two plastic cups
-Four binder clips
-Different manipulatives to put in the balance (crayon and rocks are examples seen above)

Original Idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY0XHdbQLjE