Place a food scale on a table and allow the children to weigh several different items. Use random items like an orange, toy, block, piece of paper and a shoe. Give each student a chance to weigh a different item. Before each child weighs an object, have a group discussion about how much they think the item will weigh and why. You can also have the children record each weight. After they weigh all the items, have them discuss the weight differences, such as which items weigh the most and which items weigh the least.
Have your students complete paper activities about weight. Print weight worksheets or make your own. The worksheets should have two columns, with items listed side-by-side. The object of the activity is for the children to decide which item weighs more or less. Have them circle all items they think are the lightest or the heaviest. Award a small prize to each student who guesses each item correctly. Another idea is to create flash cards with two items. Show the cards to the class one at a time and have one student guess which item has more or less weight.
Teach your students about the different types of systems used for measuring weight. Some weight systems include food scales, bathroom scales, digital scales, medical scales and truck scales. Write a list of items on the chalkboard like grapes, cars, shampoo, people and medicine. Have the children write down what type of scale they think people use to weigh each item. Give the children one point for each correct answer and the child with the most points wins the game. Alternatively, play this game in teams by dividing the class into two teams. Give each team an item and have them guess the correct scale. The team that gives the most correct answers wins the activity.
Put a scale on a table along with several items. Pass one item around the room at a time and have each child feel the item for weight. After they hold the item, they must write down how much they think the item will weigh. Use items like a plastic bowl, plush animal, hairbrush, box of stickers and a package of blocks. Award one point for each correct answer. The player with the most points wins the activity. You can also do this activity with no winner. Simply have the students take turns guessing how much an item weighs, and then placing it on the scale to weigh it.