TOPIC
Measures
26
354
355
Estimate, compare, measure and record the capacity of a wide variety of
containers using appropriate metric units (¬ and m¬).
Solve and complete practical tasks and problems involving the addition and
subtraction of capacities (¬ and m¬).
1. Measuring using non-standard units and instruments.
2. Measuring capacity using litre, half-litre and quarter-litre containers.
1. Applying and problem-solving: Select appropriate materials and processes for mathematical
tasks and applications.
2. Reasoning: Make hypotheses and carry out experiments to test them.
3. Implementing: Execute standard procedures efficiently with a variety of tools.
4. Understanding and recalling: Understand and recall terminology, facts and definitions.
Measuring jugs, containers and bottles of varying sizes, water, teaspoons, cups, egg cups
Capacity, container, millilitre (m¬), litre (¬), estimate, measure, liquid
1. Ensure that the children understand that the word ‘capacity’ means the measurement of how
much a container can hold, use the word in relation to stadiums, theatres, etc.
2. Make sure the children know that items that have a capacity also have a weight and a length/
width/depth. Often children if asked, ‘What is the weight of this bottle?’ will reply ‘It doesn’t
have a weight it only has a capacity.’
3. Spend time writing vertically a capacity question that can be written horizontally. Children
can easily place unit numbers in the tens or hundreds column. For example, in sums such as
5¬ 350m¬ + 7¬ 2m¬ the 2 is often placed incorrectly under the 3 instead of the 0, changing its
value to 200m¬.
Fans:
Show 12 a litre in millilitres. Show how many m¬ in 1 litre. How many m¬ in 14 ¬, 34 ¬, etc?
99
Target board 9:
How many m¬ should I add to each number to reach 1 litre? How many
equivalent numbers can you find?
Counting stick:
Count in 250s (250, 500, 725, 1,000 or 1litre). Count backwards in 250s from 1,000.
Container capacity:
Ask the children to bring in as many liquid containers as they can from home. Get them working in
pairs or groups to start investigating different capacities by sorting the containers into categories of
less than a litre, greater than a litre and 1 litre. Children could also line up the containers in order
from the smallest to the greatest capacity.
Estimate capacity:
Place a range of containers of varying capacities on each table, making sure that the capacity
measurements on the labels are covered. Try to use containers for everyday items such as
shampoo, washing up liquid, sauce, yogurt, milk and orange juice, etc. Children must estimate
the capacity of each container and record their estimate. They then find out the real capacity and
discuss the difference between their estimate and the actual capacity.
Capacity measuring scale:
Introduce children to the standard capacity measuring scale. Get them to measure amounts
accurately using a range of measuring jugs. Then get them to look at measuring jugs of varying widths
and heights and compare, e.g. a graduated cylinder with a standard measuring jug. Encourage
children to investigate why the same amount of water will go higher in one than the other.
Word problems: Ask the class various word problems and allow them to use the container
and measuring jugs to answer the questions, e.g. How many 500m¬ jugs will I need to fill a
2¬-container? Children can also make up their own questions and give them to other groups or
pairs to complete.
Measure up!
Get children looking at and playing with containers and revise with them the litre, as covered in
2nd class. Encourage children look at various litre bottles and containers so that they will have
some practise in gauging a litre before starting the first activity, ‘Container capacity’ (above). Set
the children pouring 12 and 14 of the liquid into other containers. Get the class to discuss and
analyse the fact that containers of different height and width and length can still hold the same
amount because they have the same capacity.
Lower attainers:
Separate activity sheet
Higher attainers:
Separate activity sheet
Topic
Topic
26
26
1. Draw a line to match the containers to the amount you think they hold.
(A)
(B)
1 litre
Milk carton
900m¬
800m¬
700m¬
600m¬
500m¬
400m¬
300m¬
200m¬
100m¬
3 litres
Watering can
5m¬
Can of paint
1 12 litres
1 litre
800m¬
600m¬
400m¬
200m¬
1. (a) How much liquid is in beaker A ? ____________
small bottle of water
(b) Which beaker contains the most liquid? Explain. _____________________________________
1 litre
______________________________________________________________________________
egg cup
250m¬
Jug of water
5 litres
teaspoon
(c) If all the liquid in beaker A was used to fill 5 identical glasses to the top, what is the capacity
of each of the glasses? ____________
(d) What is the difference between each of the two beakers? ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(e) Draw a line on beaker B to show 900m¬.
50m¬
(f) If half of the liquid in beaker B is used to fill five smaller glasses, what is the capacity of each
of the glasses? ____________
(g) How much liquid would be left in the jug?
2. Colour the correct amount of liquid on each measuring jug.
(a)
(b)
(c)
1 litre
900m¬
800m¬
700m¬
600m¬
500m¬
400m¬
300m¬
200m¬
100m¬
300m¬
m¬
700m¬
(b) l
m¬
250m¬
(c)
l
m¬
3 240
6 147
5 289
+ 1 224
+ 2 342
+ 2 232
4. (a)
l
m¬
(b)
l
m¬
(c)
l
m¬
4 570
6 360
5 600
– 2 350
– 4 272
– 3 450
144
1 litre
900m¬
800m¬
700m¬
600m¬
500m¬
400m¬
300m¬
200m¬
100m¬
2. Cocktails can be made by mixing all sorts of juices and fizzy drinks
Here is the recipe for a cocktail called a Scorpion.
It’s up to you how much a ‘part’ is when mixing your cocktail.
1,000m¬
(d) l
m¬
7
67
+ 3 740
(d)
l
m¬
3
27
– 1 321
2 parts white grape
juice
1 part raspberry syrup
1 part lemon juice
1 part orange juice
1 orange slice
1 cherry
Using the recipe, try to answer the following questions.
(a) If 1 part of white grape juice is 25m¬, how much would be in 2 parts?
______
(b) If 1 part of raspberry syrup is 40m¬, how much would be in 3 parts?
______
(c) If 1 part of orange juice is 100m¬, how much would be in 2.5 parts?
______
(d) If 1 part lemon juice is 30m¬, how much would be in 4 parts?
______
(e) If 2 parts white grape juice is 80m¬, how much would be in 3.5 parts?
______
© Folens Photocopiables
l
1 litre
900m¬
800m¬
700m¬
600m¬
500m¬
400m¬
300m¬
200m¬
100m¬
© Folens Photocopiables
3. (a)
______________________________________________________________________________
(d)
1 litre
900m¬
800m¬
700m¬
600m¬
500m¬
400m¬
300m¬
200m¬
100m¬
(f) How much cocktail would you make altogether if one part was 500m¬? ______
145
Number: Operations (addition and subtraction)
Music: Making music from glasses with varying amounts of water in them
English: Instructional writing (write out a recipe)
SESE Science: Measuring liquids for experiments
SESE Geography: Rain gauge
Parents could get children to practise measuring liquid accurately in the kitchen by encouraging
them to help make food or bake at home. Children could also survey the average amount of
water used each day in the house and or make a rain gauge.
Notes
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________