Marbles for Mass is a hands-on and engaging worksheet activity that introduces students to the concept of mass using informal units. Designed for early learners, this resource offers a fun and practical way for students to investigate and compare weight through meaningful, tactile experiences with balance scales and marbles.

Students will be challenged to weigh various classroom objects and record how many marbles are equivalent in mass. This helps them develop a concrete understanding of heavier, lighter, and equal mass, while building skills in estimation, measurement and recording. With minimal preparation required, this worksheet is an ideal fit for any measurement unit.

Not only does this activity promote mathematical reasoning, but it also opens up opportunities for rich discussion and vocabulary use around mass. If marbles are not available, the activity can be easily adapted to use any other consistent informal unit such as counters, unifix cubes or even small blocks—making it flexible and accessible in any classroom.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Measure and compare mass using informal units
• ✅ Record measurements in a structured format
• ✅ Develop understanding of heavier, lighter and equal mass
• ✅ Use balance scales to investigate real-life objects

What’s Included:

• Marbles for Mass worksheet template
• Teacher notes with suggested materials and discussion prompts
• Recording section for objects and marble quantities

Materials Needed:

• Printed worksheet for each student
• Classroom objects to measure (e.g. scissors, pencils, blocks, erasers)
• Marbles as informal measuring units
• Balance scales (or equal-arm scales)
• Optional: counters or other substitutes for marbles

How to Use:

1. Begin with a class discussion about measuring weight and introduce balance scales
2. Demonstrate using marbles to balance a known object
3. Distribute the worksheet and materials to students or small groups
4. Students select items, measure how many marbles they weigh, and record results
5. Encourage comparison: Which items are heavier? Lighter? The same?

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use during your measurement unit as a hands-on activity
• 💡 Include as a numeracy rotation focused on mass and data recording
• 💡 Encourage peer discussions by working in pairs or small groups
• 💡 Extend the activity by creating a classroom chart to display results

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Pre-select a variety of classroom objects that vary in mass but are safe and manageable
• 💛 Remind students to handle marbles and objects carefully to avoid spills or breakage
• 💛 Encourage use of comparison language such as “heavier than”, “lighter than” and “equal in weight to”

Looking to expand on this activity? Check out these related resources for even more mass investigation fun:

• MASS Mystery Task Cards
• Measure it Up
• Measuring MASS Worksheet

Marbles for Mass is a simple yet powerful tool to introduce young learners to the concept of mass through hands-on exploration, visual comparison, and collaborative learning. Perfect for Foundation to Year 1 measurement investigations!