Capacity
Strand: Measures
Strand unit: Capacity
Curriculum Objectives
Compare and order containers according to capacity and promote an understanding of
conservation of volume.
Select and use appropriate non-standard units to measure capacity.
Estimate and measure capacity in non-standard units.
Record estimates and actual measurements and compare the results.
Pages in the textbook: 122 and 123
?
Colour
Colour the container that holds the least, red.
Colour the container that holds the most, blue.
Count
How many cups fill each object?
count
my estimate
amount
count
my estimate
amount
count
my estimate
amount
count
Strand
Strand Unit
Measures
Capacity
my estimate
Compare and order containers according to
capacity.
Page 123
Strand
Strand
Strand Unit
Strand Unit
Measures
Measures
Capacity
xx
Objectives
Objectives
122
Objectives
Page 122
Estimate
X
units.
amount
and measure capacity in non-standard
123
Let’s look back: What the Junior Infants programme covered
1. Develop an understanding of the concept of capacity through exploration and the use of
appropriate vocabulary (full, empty, nearly full, holds more, holds less, as much as).
2. Compare containers according to capacity.
Maths skills used in this topic
Integrating and connecting
Recognise mathematics in the environment
Applying and problem-solving
Select and apply appropriate strategies to complete tasks or solve problems
Recognise solutions to problems
Concrete materials
Various containers (cup, eggcup, jug, jam jar, saucepan, glass, empty milk carton, bowl, basin,
bucket, plastic bottles)
Vocabulary
Full, empty, holds more, holds less, holds the same amount, holds the most, holds the least, pour, fill
up to the top, enough, level
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Linkage
Number: Ordering and comparing
Integration
SESE Science: Volume
SESE Geography: Recording rainfall
Pre-page ideas
Page 122:
Provide opportunities for free play involving filling and emptying many different-sized and differentshaped containers. Ensure the children fully understand and are able to use terminology such as
‘full’, ‘empty’ and ‘level’.
Page 123:
Mental maths puzzles (the answers can be checked practically):
If a jug hold 4 cups of water, how many cups would I need to fill 2 jugs?
A glass holds 6 eggcups of water altogether. If I poured 4 eggcups of water into the glass how
many more would I need to fill it completely?
A saucepan holds 5 jugs of water altogether. How many saucepans can I fill with 10 jugs of
water? If I had 9 jugs of water how many saucepans can I fill completely? Would a smaller
saucepan hold more or less than 5 jugs of water? Would a bigger saucepan hold more or less
than 5 jugs of water?
If 2 milk cartons hold the same amount as 1 Coke bottle, how many milk cartons hold the same
amount as 2/3/4 Coke bottles?
If a bowl holds 6 mugs of water and I pour in 3 mugs, will the bowl be nearly full or nearly
empty? How many more mugs of water are needed to fill the bowl completely?
Lesson suggestions
1. Choose some different-shaped containers with a similar capacity (e.g. 1-litre ice-cream
carton and 1-litre mineral bottle) and provide opportunities for the children to discover the
conservation of volume. Before starting the activity, ask the children to estimate which of the
containers they think will hold the most or the least amount of water. Fill 1 container with water
and then pour the water from the first into the second container. What do you notice?
Does the same amount of water fit into each container?
Does a container hold more/less than the other?
Do they both hold the same amount?
Do they both have an equal capacity?
Experiment in a similar way with a variety of different shaped containers to provide children
with experience leading towards the development of the concept of conservation of volume.
Group work:
Distribute a container to each group, e.g. a saucepan, a milk carton, a bowl, a jug or a mineral
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bottle, and also a cup for filling the container. Before starting, each child must individually estimate
and record the number of cups s/he believes will be required to fill the container. Swap the
containers around from group to group at the end of each measurement activity. Whichever child
had the closest estimate to the actual measurement becomes the ‘filler’ while the rest of the group
count along together. When all measurement activities have been completed, record the data
on a chart demonstrating the number of ‘cups’ required to fill each container. Ask the following
questions:
Which container holds the most/least?
Can you arrange the containers in order beginning with the one that holds least and ending with
the one that holds most?
Do any 2 containers hold an equal amount of water?
Parental involvement
1. Informal estimation/comparison involving capacity at home. For example, comparing the
capacity of household containers, e.g. jugs, jars, bottles, pots and buckets.
2. Use of household items as informal units of measurement,
e.g. eggcups, mugs and jugs.
Photocopiable templates
Will they all fit? Tick
Which holds more? Colour it red. Which holds less? Colour it yellow.
The bottle holds __ __ __ __ .
(yes) or
(no).
yes
The cup holds holds __ __ __ __ .
no
The bucket holds __ __ __ __ .
yes
The jug holds holds __ __ __ __ .
no
The glass holds __ __ __ __ .
The teapot holds holds
yes
__ __ __ __ .
no
The spoon holds holds __ __ __ __ .
Page 213: Capacity
Name: _______________________________________
Date: ___________________
213
yes
no
Name: _______________________________________
Date: ___________________
Page 214: Capacity
© Folens Photocopiables
© Folens Photocopiables
The eggcup holds __ __ __ __ .
214
Notes
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