Middle School Mathematics and the Common Core Summer Math Institute Measurement Lesson Plan Using liters and milliliters
Melisa Kirkley
Summer 2012
Middle School Mathematics and the Common Core Summer Math
Institute Summer
Name: Melisa Kirkley
School: East Marion Elementary School
Grade Level: 3rd Grade “Ms. Melisa’s Magnificent Monkeys”
Teaching Objective:
CCSS for Math 3.MD.2: The students will estimate liquid volumes and
masses of objects using standard units of grams (g), kilograms (kg), and liters (l).
Add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step word problems involving
masses or volumes that are given in the same units, e.g., by using drawings (such
as a beaker with a measurement scale) to represent the problem.
MMFR 3.4.c: Measure capacity, weight/mass, and length in both English and
metric systems of measurement. (DOK 1):
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
 The students will estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using
standard units of liters and milliliters.
 The students will add, subtract, multiply, or divide to solve one-step
word problems involving masses or volumes that are given in the
same units.
Instructional Activities:
1) Opener: The teacher will exclaimed, “There are millions of things to
measure….and almost as many ways to measure them! Measuring has never
been such a Blast!” The teacher will tell her students that Marvelosissimo,
the Mathematical Magician, is back and ready to explore the invention of
length, weight, and volume measurements. With another wave of his wand,
the wizard introduces the world of metrics. He makes it easy to understand
the basic pattern of meters, liters, and grams. The teacher begins to read
“Millions to Measure” by Steven Kellogg to introduce measurement and the
metric system to the students.
2) Prior Knowledge: The teacher reminds the students that they have already
learned about inches, feet, etc. Now, we are learning something new today.
The teacher tells the students that they have seen a milliliter before. She
asks, “Can anyone think of when they may have seen or used milliliters
before?” The teacher waits for a response. “ It is when we have to take that
good, tasty medicine to make us feel better.” Then the teacher asks, “What
about a liter?”
3) Content:
• Guided Practice:
The teacher shows the students a dropper using milliliters and a liter
plastic bottle. The teacher tells the students that the milliliter (mL) is
very small, and when you abbreviate, it starts with a small letter. That
small letter will help to remind me that the measurement is small. The
liter (L) is bigger than a milliliter, and when you abbreviate, it starts
with a big letter. That big letter reminds me that the measurement is
bigger than the milliliter. The teacher will let the students find several
examples from around the room to identify which unit of
measurement they would use to fill the object they select up
(teaspoon, coffee pot, cup, etc.)
• Independent Practice:
The students will take a bucket of water to fill the item that they had
chosen from the classroom. They will estimate how much it will take
to fill their group’s container, and then they will actually find out how
much water to fill the item by using measuring cups and droppers.
Rotate items among the groups clockwise.
4) Vocabulary: The teacher asks, “What are some new mathematical
vocabulary words that you learned today from this lesson?” The teacher
wants to know if the students know this information. “It is “milliliter (mL)
and liter (L).” We will add these to our “Mathematical Magical
Measurement Meanings.” (This is the name of the class math word wall for
measurement.)
5) Technology: United Streaming: The Math Monsters Song
www.discoveryeducation.com
A Segment of: Math Monsters: Standard and Non-Standard Measurement
Materials and Resources:
Materials: pencils, overhead projector with internet connection, “Mathematical
Magical Measurement Meanings” word wall, marker, milliliter dropper, liter
plastic water bottle, 5 buckets of water, measuring cups for liquid with milliliters
and liters on one side and cups and ounces on the other side
Resources: “Millions to Measure” by Steven Kellogg, Discovery Education (The
Math Monsters Song), Teacher Planet (Riddle Activity Sheet & Practical Math
Situations Story Cards) , Navigating through Measurement in Grades 3-5
http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/measurement.php
Assessment:
 The teacher will observe the students by using a checklist when they are
estimating and finding the correct amount of water for their container to
hold.
 The students will identify the correct measurement between liters and
milliliters on the activity hand-out “Capacity Riddle” in order to answer to
riddle by demonstrating their understanding of the objective after completing
the hands-on activity.
Challenge: The students will work in groups to identify and compose the
questions at the end of each story problem on measurement for the Practical Math
Situations Story Cards.
Group Name ________________________________ Date ______________
Using Benchmarks to Estimate Attributes in Five Objects --Metric Measurements (Millimeters & Liters)
Object
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Attribute
Benchmark
Estimate
Actual
Name ___________________________________ Date _____________________
Capacity Riddle:
I have a capacity of 1 liter, but all the water in the ocean could not fill me up. What
am I? ______________________________________
 Choose the unit to measure the capacity of the item in each box.
 Write mL or L for each item.
 Shade all the boxes you labeled mL.
The letters of the boxes you shade will spell out the answer to the riddle.
F. thimble
R. thermos
X. bucket
U. test tube
W. tea kettle
N. toothpaste tube
T. kitchen sink
S. baby pool
F. bird bath
K. punch bowl
Q. trash can
N. eyedropper
E. cup
N. ice chest
B. milk jug
G. watering can
C. bathtub
D. paint can
U. soup pot
M. fish pond
V. ice chest
P. washing
machine
J. fish tank
L. salt shaker
ANSWER: __________________________________________
These are practical math situations where there is no question asked, but the
students are to think about which function (add, take away, divide, multiply) they
would use. The students are to come up with a question and anwer.
Group 1:
Grandad is putting oil in his old truck. He only wants to use half of his oil can.
Grandad’s oil can hold 5 liters.
Question: ________________________________________________________
Answer: _________________________________________________________
Group 2:
Susan needs to take a 5mL spoonful of medicine twice a day for 7 days. Her
medicine bottle has 40mLs in it. She has already taken the medicine for 2 whole
days.
Question: _______________________________________________________
Answer: ________________________________________________________
Group 3:
Leslie is using a recipe that tells her to use three tablespoons. She only has a
teaspoon. A tablespoon holds 15mL, and a teaspoon holds 5mL.
Question: _______________________________________________________
Answer: ________________________________________________________
Group 4:
To make strawberry ice cream, Joni needs 300mL of cream for every punnet of
strawberries. She has 2½ punnets of strawberries.
Question: __________________________________________________________
Answer: ___________________________________________________________
Group 5:
Grandma used to give her children cod liver oil. She had two children and gave
them both a teaspoon (5mL) a day. She could only go shopping once a week. In
the store, one bottle held 50mL and the other bottle held 100mL.
Question: __________________________________________________________
Answer: ___________________________________________________________