Lesson 1 — Our First Balance

Age: Grades 4–6 (ages 9–12) Duration: 20 minutes Format: Web game (play right away, no prep needed) Concept: Variables — a variable (x) is an unknown value; you must find the value that keeps both sides of the scale equal.

Learning Objective

Kids find the value of x that balances the scale in simple equations — seeing that a variable is "a value to find," not just a letter.

Do It Together (Parent-Child Co-participation)

If you have a toy scale or a ruler balanced on a table edge, build a real balance and try placing objects to make it level.