- Definition
A scale is a set of musical notes played in a specific order, going up or down, like climbing stairs with sounds. These notes often have letter names (like C, D, E) or can be sung using syllables like "do, re, mi.
Placing a toy car on one side and a block on the other to see which side goes down uses a scale to compare weight.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A scale is like a seesaw for toys — it shows you which one is heavier.
Ask your child: Which side of the scale will go down if we put this heavy block on it?
Common mix-up: Kids might think a scale only tells you how heavy something is. A balance scale is for comparing, to see if something is heavier, lighter, or the same weight as something else.
Examples
- Putting the same number of blocks on each side to make the scale balance.
- Seeing that an apple is heavier than a crayon because the apple's side of the scale is lower.
scale is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 2 The Arts
- Grade 7 The Arts
- Grade 8 The Arts
- Grade 3 Mathematics
- Grade 4 Mathematics
- Grade 5 Mathematics
+20 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
