Customary Units of Capacity

Customary Units of Capacity – Day 1
Focus: The student will identify objects that hold about a cup, pint, quart, and gallon.
Background for teachers: Capacity is the measure of the amount of liquid a container can
hold. Different units can be used to estimate or measure capacity. The most appropriate unit
to use for measuring is often the one with which the measurement can be expressed using
the smallest whole number. The purpose of students comparing the sizes of the containers in
the following activity is to use a common unit (cup) to estimate the amount of liquid, sand,
or rice each container will hold. It is not required that third grade students memorize
conversions between units of measurements, this is a 4th and 5th grade TEK. Estimating
capacity and using benchmarks lays the foundation for students to convert units of
measurement in 4th and 5th grades.
Materials: Measuring containers that hold a cup, pint, quart, and gallon (enough for small
groups to each have a set), copies of Recording Sheet, water, rice, or sand for pouring into
containers, random containers of different sizes including one that holds approximately 2
quarts (enough for each group of students to have 3 - 4 each); examples would be milk
cartons from the cafeteria, water bottles of different sizes, Gatorade bottles, gallon milk
cartons, pots
Activity:
1. Remind students they have already learned to measure the volume of solid figures.
Today, you will learn how to measure how much liquid a container will hold.
2. Show students the container that holds one cup. Explain that this container holds one
cup. Ask students to talk with their group members to brainstorm what other
containers hold about a cup. Discuss responses with the class. Sample responses may
include a juice box, coffee cup, or a glass.
3. Hold up the cup container again, along with a 2-quart container. Remind students that
the smaller container holds one cup of liquid. Ask students to estimate how many cups
would fit in the 2-quart container and write their answers on their copy of the
attached Recording Sheet. How could we find how many cups would fit into the 2quart container? Allow students to work with their group to find how many cups of
water, rice, or sand will fit in the 2-quart container.
Customary Units of Capacity – Day 1
4. When most students are finished exploring, explain that the amount a container will
hold is its capacity and that a cup is a customary unit of capacity.
5. Discuss how students found the amount of cups that would fit in the 2-quart
container, demonstrating as you are discussing with the class. Students should fill in
the actual measurement on their recording sheet when the class has decided the
correct amount.
6. Repeat the activity, comparing how many cups each of the pint, quart, and gallon
containers hold. Ask students to record their estimates on their Recording Sheet
before measuring each of the items. Students may also find the capacity of other
containers you have in the classroom.
7. Discuss estimates and measurements as students finish the investigation. Create an
anchor chart to show how many cups a pint, quart, and gallon will hold. Remember,
students do not need to memorize these. They will only need for benchmark purposes.
Capacity Benchmarks
Pint = 2 cups
Quart = 4 cups
Gallon = 16 cups
8. Homework: Customary Units of Capacity
Customary Units of Capacity – Day 1
Recording Sheet
How many cups does each container hold?
Container
Estimate
В Actual Measurement
Name
Reteaching
18-2
Customary Units of Capacity
Capacity is the amount of liquid a container can hold. The
containers show the different units of customary capacity.
pint (pt)
1 pt П­ 2 c
quart (qt)
1 qt П­ 2 pt
Reteaching 18-2
cup (c)
gallon (gal)
1 gal П­ 4 qt
Choose the better estimate for each.
1.
2.
1 c or 1 gal
4. small water bottle
1 pt or 1 gal
3.
1 qt or 1 gal
5. bucket
1 c or 1 gal
1 c or 1 qt
6. bathroom sink
2 c or 2 gal
В© Pearson Education, Inc. 3
7. Reasoning Suppose you want to fill a pot with 1 gallon of water.
You can use a measuring cup the size of a cup or a quart.
Which would be best to use? Explain your reasoning.
Topic 18
33
Customary Units of Capacity – Day 2
Focus: The student will identify objects that hold about a cup, pint, quart, and gallon.
Materials: Measuring containers that hold a cup, pint, quart, and gallon (enough for small
groups to each have a set), containers from the previous day
Activity:
1. Ask each group of students to place their set of containers in order from the one that
has the greatest capacity to the one that has the least capacity. Discuss placement of
the containers with the class.
2. Read and discuss Room for Ripley with the class. Teacher should take plenty of time
when discussing the equivalency chart in the book. If needed, show students how the
comparisons are true by asking students to use containers to prove. Do not require
students to memorize the equivalencies.
3. Students will play Capacity Compare with a partner. After students complete the
activity, discuss which comparisons are more difficult than others.
4. Students will complete the daily practice sheet individually, Customary Units of
Capacity.
5. Homework: Texas Student Activity Book, pp. 24, 60 and/or attached page.
Customary Units of Capacity – Day 2
Capacity Compare
Materials
Deck of cards, one set per pair
Pencils
Recording Sheet
Directions:
1. Teacher should review the cards with students to ensure they know what picture is on
each card.
2. Shuffle the cards.
3. Deal out all of the cards. Each student may have their own deck of cards for the game
to last longer.
4. Each player turns over one card at the same time.
5. Compare the two measures.
6. Record the comparison on your Capacity Compare Recording Sheet.
7. Repeat directions 3-5.
8. Play until time runs out or until the recording sheet is full.
Customary Units of Capacity – Day 2
Capacity Compare Cards
1
2
4
5
7
8
3
6
9
Customary Units of Capacity – Day 2
Capacity Compare Cards
10
13
16
11
12
14
15
17
18
Customary Units of Capacity – Day 2
Capacity Compare Recording Sheet
Your card number
Compare
Your partner’s
card number
Write three comparisons of your own using words.
Object
Compare
Object
Example: cup
<
water bottle
Name
Practice
18-2
Customary Units of Capacity
Choose the better estimate for each.
1.
2.
5. coffee pot
1 c or 1 gal
3 qt or 3 gal
6. bowl of soup
1 pt or 1 gal
4.
1 pt or 1 gal
7. thermos
1 qt or 1 gal
10 qt or 10 gal
8. small milk carton
1 c or 1 gal
Choose the better unit to measure the capacity of each.
9. hot tub
qt or gal
10. shampoo bottle 11. bucket
pt or gal
c or gal
12. sports cooler
qt or gal
13. Reasonableness John has 4 cups filled with fruit juice. He said
that he has a gallon of fruit juice. Is his statement reasonable?
Explain why or why not.
14. Estimation Which measurement best describes
the capacity of a kitchen sink?
5 quarts
5 pints
5 cups
5 gallons
В© Pearson Education, Inc. 3
Practice 18-2
1 c or 1 gal
3.
34
Topic 18
Day 159 Daily Practice
Name
Quick Check
Answer the questions below.
18-2
1. Which is NOT a customary unit used to measure capacity?
pint
cube
quart
2. Which of these objects probably holds about 1 pint?
bath tub
soup pot
coffee pot
teaspoon
3. Which measurement best describes the capacity of a juice box you might
bring with your lunch?
1 cup
1 pint
1 quart
1 gallon
4. Writing to Explain Felix has a goldfish bowl. He wonders about its
capacity. He has two tools he might use to find out: a 1-cup mug and
a 1-gallon jug. Which tool should he use to find the capacity of the bowl?
Explain your thinking.
В© Pearson Education, Inc. 3
Quick Check 18-2
gallon
32
Topic 18
Day 159 Homework
Metric Units of Capacity
Focus: The student will estimate and measure the capacity of various containers using
metric units.
Background for teachers: Capacity is the measure of the amount of liquid a container can
hold. Different units can be used to estimate or measure capacity. The most appropriate unit
to use for measuring is often the one with which the measurement can be expressed using
the smallest whole number. The purpose of students comparing the sizes of the containers in
the following activity is to use a common unit to estimate the amount of liquid, sand, or rice
each container will hold. A milliliter is one thousandth of a liter. The relationship commonly
given to third and fourth graders is 1,000 milliliters = 1 liter so they can better understand
the relative sizes of the units. However, they are not expected to convert measurements
from one unit to the other. Estimating capacity and using benchmarks lays the foundation for
students to convert units of measurement in 4th and 5th grades.
Materials: Several measuring containers that hold a liter or more (example would be a
water bottle), 4-liter containers, and small containers that hold less than half of a liter
(enough for small groups to each have a set), water, rice, or sand for pouring into
containers, recording sheet
Activity:
1. Remind students they have already learned to find the approximate capacity of
containers using customary units. Today, you will learn how to find the capacity of
containers using metric units.
2. Show students the one liter water bottle and ask students to name something that has
a capacity about the same as the water bottle. Students should talk with group
members to brainstorm any answers. Sample response may be a shampoo bottle.
Discuss all responses with the class.
3. Hold up the liter container again, along with the 4-liter container. This water bottle has
a capacity of about 1 unit. How can you use this water bottle to estimate the capacity
of the larger container? How can you check your estimate? Allow students to work
with their group to find how many liters of water, rice, or sand will fit in the 4-liter
container.
4. When most students are finished exploring, explain that two metric units of capacity
are liter and milliliter. Write the metric units on the board with their abbreviations.
There are 1,000 milliliters in a liter. Which unit is smaller? Explain there are
approximately 20 drops from an eyedropper in a milliliter or about a spoonful. Do you
think a container would hold more milliliters or more liters?
Metric Units of Capacity
5. Discuss how students found the amount of liters that would filled the 4-liter container,
demonstrating as you discuss with the class. Students should fill in the actual
measurement on their recording sheet when the class has decided the correct amount.
6. Have students work in pairs to estimate and find the capacity of larger containers.
7. Discuss estimates and measurements as students finish the investigation. Show a few
containers to students and ask if they should use milliliters or liters to measure the
capacity.
8. Show students the pictures attached. Would you measure the capacity using milliliters
or liters? About how many units do you think would fit inside this container? Create an
anchor chart to show the relationship between a milliliter and liter. Teacher might
want to glue each picture under the appropriate unit for visual support.
Capacity Benchmarks
1,000 milliliters = 1 liter
1,000 mL = 1 L
9. Students will play Toss and Talk with a partner. See directions on attached page.
10. Homework – Metric Units of Capacity
Metric Units of Capacity
Recording Sheet
How many liters does each container hold?
Container
Estimate
В Actual Measurement
Metric Units of Capacity – Day 1
Capacity Compare Cards
1
2
4
5
7
8
3
6
9
Metric Units of Capacity – Day 2
Capacity Compare Cards
10
13
16
11
12
14
15
17
18
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В© Pearson Education
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Get Started
or
Get 10 squares in one color and 10 in another color.
Get two number cubes. Take turns with another player or team.
Talk about math as you play!
At Your
Turn
Toss two number cubes. Add the dots. Find your toss below.
Follow the directions. Explain your thinking. Cover the answer.
If the answer is taken, lose your turn. Have fun!
Toss
Read the name of the container.
Tell if its capacity is more than
1 liter or less than 1 liter. Explain.
2
7
bucket
bathroom sink
8
lake
3
bathtub
9
paper cup
4
swimming pool
10
ketchup bottle
5
juice glass
11
soup pot
6
soup bowl
12
mug
в�…
3
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more than
1 liter
less than 1 liter
less than 1 liter
more than
1 liter
less than 1 liter
less than 1 liter
more than
1 liter
less than 1 liter
more than
1 liter
less than 1 liter
more than
1 liter
more than
1 liter
more than
1 liter
less than 1 liter
more than
1 liter
less than 1 liter
How to
Win
You win if you are the first to get four connected rectangles, like:
If you have
more time
Play again!
Center Activity 18-4
Center Activity 18-4
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Topic 18
7
Name
Reteaching
18-4
Metric Units of Capacity
Two units of capacity in the metric system are milliliters (mL)
and liters (L).
1 liter П­ 1,000 milliliters
Milliliters are used to measure very
small amounts of liquid.
A liter is slightly larger than a quart.
Many beverages are sold in 1-liter and
2-liter bottles.
1 teaspoon П­ 5 milliliters
Reteaching 18-4
Choose the better estimate for each.
1.
2.
350 mL or 35 L
4. small milk carton
250 mL or 25 L
3.
100 mL or 10 L
5. soup can
500 mL or 5 L
30 mL or 3 L
6. sports cooler
4 L or 40 L
В© Pearson Education, Inc. 3
7. Reasonableness Which is the better unit to use to measure the
capacity of a bathtub: milliliters or liters? Explain your choice.
Day
16018Homework
Topic
45
Metric Units of Capacity, Day 2
Focus: The student will estimate and measure the capacity of various containers using
metric units.
Materials: Assorted containers: one set of 4 – 5 containers for each group of 3 – 4
students, water, rice, or sand for pouring into containers, Toss and Talk pages (one per pair)
Activity:
1. Discuss homework from the previous lesson to clarify any questions.
2. Ask each group of students to place their set of containers in order from the one that
has the greatest capacity to the one that has the least capacity. Discuss placement of
the containers with the class.
3. Students will play Toss and Talk with a partner. After students complete the activity,
discuss which capacity estimates were more difficult than others.
4. Students will complete Metric Units of Capacity.
5. Homework: Texas Student Activity Book, pp. 25, 30, or 61
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Center Activity 18-4
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Get Started
or
Get 10 squares in one color and 10 in another color.
Get two number cubes. Take turns with another player or team.
Talk about math as you play!
At Your
Turn
Toss two number cubes. Add the dots. Find your toss below.
Follow the directions. Explain your thinking. Cover the answer.
If the answer is taken, lose your turn. Have fun!
Toss
Read the question. Choose the better
estimate. Explain your answer.
7
Is the capacity of a bathtub about
150 milliliters or 150 liters?
2
Is the capacity of a pen cap about
1 milliliter, or 1 liter?
8
Is the capacity of a baby bottle about
150 milliliters or 150 liters?
3
Is the capacity of a thermos about
1 milliliter, or 1 liter?
9
Is the capacity of a mug about
250 milliliters or 25 liters?
4
Is the capacity of a pitcher about
1 milliliter, or 1 liter?
10
Is the capacity of a teacup about
250 milliliters or 25 liters?
5
Is the capacity of a glass of water
about 250 milliliters, or 25 liters?
11
Is the capacity of a measuring spoon
about 25 milliliters or 25 liters?
6
Is the capacity of a fish tank about
250 milliliters, or 25 liters?
12
Is the capacity of a soup ladle about
150 milliliters or 150 liters?
250 mL
150 L
1L
150 mL
250 mL
1 mL
250 mL
25 mL
1L
150 L
25 L
250 mL
150 mL
250 mL
150 mL
How to
Win
8
Topic 18
You win if you are the first to get four connected rectangles, like:
If you have
more time
Play again!
Center Activity 18-4
В© Pearson Education
3
25 L
Name
Practice
18-4
Metric Units of Capacity
Choose the better estimate for each.
1.
2.
2 mL or 2 L
2 mL or 2 L
4.
5 mL or 5 L
6. coffee cup
7. thermos
250 mL or 25 L
2 L or 20 L
1 mL or 1 L
8. pitcher
40 mL or 4 L
Choose the better unit to measure the capacity of each.
9. tea cup
mL or L
10. bath tub
mL or L
11. glass of juice
mL or L
12. washing machine
mL or L
13. Reasoning A liter is equal to 100 centiliters. Is a centiliter
a greater measure than a milliliter? Explain.
14. Estimation Which is the best estimate for
the capacity of a large bottle of water?
Fresh
Springs
Water
1L
46
Topic 18
400 mL
4L
40 mL
Daily Practice, Day 161
В© Pearson Education, Inc. 3
Practice 18-4
5. kitchen sink
2 L or 20 L
3.