Can you compare?

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling

• Say, "Today we are going to learn about how much things weigh, or how heavy or light something is. We are also going to practice comparing two things. Comparing means to notice how things are different or the same. We are going to pay attention to size to try to figure out which thing is heavier and which is lighter."
• Display one pair of items you collected and show them to the class (e.g., feather and a rock) and explain that one is heavy and one is light. They are opposites. Make sure to emphasize the vocabulary heavy and light as you point to the corresponding object.
• Display the vocabulary cards on the board for reference.
• Pass around the items for students to compare for themselves.
• Write up the sentence frame, "The ____ is heavier. I know because ____."
• Hold up another pair of objects. Ask, "Which one is heavier?" and have the class turn and talk to share with a partner.
• Pass around the objects for students to explore.

Guided Practice

• Create a T-chart with "Heavier" and "Lighter" written on it and an image of a block on top.
• Ask students to go on a classroom scavenger hunt to find something that is lighter than the block and something that is heavier than the block.
• Pass out a common item to each student (e.g., a small block) to each student and give them five minutes to find their two items.
• Gather the class back together and record the items on the T-chart.

Group work time

• Explain that now students will get even more practice comparing weight!
• Show the worksheet to the class and go over the instructions.
• Pass out the worksheets. As students finish, ask them to turn and talk to a partner to compare their work. Did they both choose the same objects? Why or why not?