Balance Beans
How it works
If you start with some beans on a seesaw and you're given certain additional beans to place on the seesaw, can you do it so the seesaw balances?
In this activity, students start by trying to solve various puzzles involving different arrangements of beans on the seesaw. Next, they try to predict whether or not specific arrangements will make the seesaw balance (and why!).
Why we like this activity
- It’s fun! Students enjoy trying to get the seesaw to balance.
- It helps students develop physical reasoning.
It requires students to engage in mathematical habits of mind:
- Finding and using strategies to add pieces to the seesaw to make it balance.
- Making and testing predictions about when the seesaw will balance.
- Understanding and explaining why certain arrangements of beans make the seesaw balance and others don't.
- It has a low floor and a high ceiling: Students can start exploring through trial and error, but as the puzzles get more difficult, it's helpful to start thinking more deeply about how and why certain arrangements make the seesaw balance.
This activity is based on a game called Balance Beans that is manufactured by Thinkfun®.