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3 Volume
BROWARD COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCIENCE BENCHMARK PLAN
Grade 3—Quarter 1
Activity 3
SC.A.1.2.1
The student determines that the properties of materials (e.g., density and volume) can be
compared and measured (e.g., using rulers, balances, and thermometers).
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SC.H.1.2.1
The student knows that it is important to keep accurate records and descriptions to provide
information and clues on causes of discrepancies in repeated experiments.
SC.H.1.2.2
The student knows that a successful method to explore the natural world is to observe and
record, and then analyze and communicate the results.
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SC.H.1.2.4
The student knows that to compare and contrast observations and results is an essential
skill in science.
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SC.H.3.2.2
The student knows that data are collected and interpreted in order to explain an event or
concept.
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ACTIVITY ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITIES
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The following suggestions are intended to help identify major concepts covered in the activity
that may need extra reinforcement. The goal is to provide opportunities to assess student
progress without creating the need for a separate, formal assessment session (or activity) for
each of the 40 hands-on activities at this grade level.
1. Ask, What measuring tools did you use in this activity? (beakers, graduated cylinders, and
measuring cups) What metric units did you use to measure volume? (liter and milliliter)
Why is knowing volume important when you’re shopping in a supermarket? (It helps us
compare things fairly. We can see if we are paying different prices for the same amount of
something. Containers may the same on the outside but hold different volumes.)
2. Use the Activity Sheet(s) to assess student understanding of the major concepts in the
activity.
In addition to the above assessment suggestions, the questions in bold and tasks that
students perform throughout the activity provide opportunities to identify areas that may
require additional review before proceeding further with the activity.
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activity 3 Volume
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3 Volume
OBJECTIVES
PREPARATION
Students use a variety of measuring
containers—beakers, graduated cylinders,
and measuring cups—of different sizes to
determine the volume of different amounts
of water. They also compare the shapes that
water takes in different containers.
The students
operationally
measure
define volume
the accuracy and effect of using
different measuring containers
About 40 minutes
VOCABULARY
volume
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MATERIALS
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For each student
Activity Sheet 3, Parts A and B
For each team of four
1 set
1 set
1 set
beakers
graduated cylinders
measuring cups
For the class
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Fill the pitchers with water, and provide
newspaper to cover students’ work areas
during the activity. Have paper towels
handy so students can wipe up any spills.
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Each team of four will need one set of
beakers, one set of graduated cylinders,
and one set of measuring cups.
4
You will need to borrow a pitcher of water,
one beaker, one graduated cylinder, and
one measuring cup from one of the groups
for an initial demonstration.
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SCHEDULE
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Make a copy of Activity Sheet 3, Parts A
and B for each student.
various volumes of water
compare
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Volume is the measure of the amount of
space a solid, liquid, or gas takes up, or
occupies. In the customary measuring system
that we use in the United States, liquid
volume is measured in gallons, quarts, pints,
cups, and fluid ounces. In the metric system
used in most other countries and in science,
liquid volume is measured in liters, deciliters,
and milliliters.
A centimeter cube is 1 milliliter in volume.
This volume can be expressed as 1 mL
(milliliter), 1 cm3 (cubic centimeter), or 1 cc
(cubic centimeter).
In this activity students will measure various
volumes of water in different measuring
containers to compare the accuracy of the
measurements and the shapes of the liquid.
newspaper*
paper towels*
pitchers*
water*
*provided by the teacher
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Activity Sheet 3, Part A
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Show students a graduated cylinder, a
beaker, and a measuring cup. Ask, What is
the function of these containers?
Show students the graduated cylinders. Tell
them they will be using these as well as the
beakers and the measuring cups to measure
amounts of water (see Figure 3–1).
activity 3 Volume
same
different
Possible answer:
250-mL graduated
cylinder; easier to
read the exact line
for 250
cup; measures
exactly 118 mL
beaker
Possible
answer: 250-mL
graduated
cylinder
Possible answer:
/2-cup measuring
1
different
Possible answer:
50-mL graduated
cylinder; has line
for each number;
easier to
distinguish 45
from 44 or 46
same
18 mL
Additional Information
to measure the volume of liquids
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Show students a pitcher of water. Tell them
that the water in the pitcher takes up a
certain amount of space. Write the word
volume on the board. Tell students that
volume is a measure of the amount of space
matter occupies, whether it is a solid, a
liquid, or a gas. Explain that liters and
milliliters are standard metric units for
measuring volume.
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Guiding the Activity
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Volume of
Water
A container that is close in capacity but a little bit
bigger than the volume you want to measure is best.
Also, the more lines the measuring container has and
the farther apart they are, the more accurate the
measurement will be.
Possible
First
Container
c. How can you decide which is the best measuring container to use to
measure a certain volume of liquid?
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250 mL answer: 250-mL
The shape of the water takes the shape of the
container.
Possible
Possible
answer: 250-mL
answer: 1/2-cup
graduated
measuring cup
cylinder
Second
Container
The volume stays the same.
b. What happens to the shape of a certain volume of water when it is poured
into a different container?
118 mL
a. What happens to the volume of water when it is poured into another
container?
different
7. Draw conclusions:
same
6. Repeat Steps 1–5 with each of the other water volumes listed in the chart.
45 mL
5. Which of the two containers was better for measuring 18 mL of water? Why?
Record your answer in the Better Container column.
Possible
Possible
answer: 50-mL
answer: 50-mL
graduated
beaker
cylinder
4. Compare the shapes of the water in the two containers. Are the shapes the
same or different? Record your answer in the Shape column.
different
Measurement:
Shape:
Same or Different? Same or Different?
3. Observe the volume of water in the second container. Is it the same as or
different from the volume in the first column? Record your answer in the
Measurement column.
same
Better
Container
2. Pour the water into a second measuring container. Record which container you
used in the Second Container column.
Possible
Possible
answer: 25-mL answer: 50-mL
graduated
graduated
cylinder
cylinder
1. Choose the best container to measure 18 mL of water. Record which container
you used in the First Container column of the chart on Activity Sheet 3, Part B.
Possible answer:
25-mL graduated
cyliner; spaces
between lines are
larger and easier
to see
Volume
Volume
1
Activity Sheet 3, Part B
Guiding the Activity
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2
Additional Information
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Figure 3-1. Students will use beakers, graduated cylinders, and measuring cups to measure different volumes of water.
Have students cover their work areas with
newspaper. Distribute a pitcher filled with
water, a set of beakers, a set of graduated
cylinders, and a set of measuring cups to
each team. Tell students that they are going
to use these measuring instruments to
measure volumes of water. Ask, What units
of measurement are on the graduated
cylinders? The beakers? The cups?
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milliliters, milliliters and ounces, milliliters
and cups
Tell students that ounces and cups are part of
the customary measuring system but that
they will be using the standard units of the
metric system—milliliters.
Ask, How can you determine the capacity of
these containers?
Students should notice that each container
has its capacity written on it. On the cups, the
capacity is on the handle. The beakers and
graduated cylinders have the capacity written
at the top of the measuring line.
Give students time to explore and compare
the various containers.
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Guiding the Activity
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Give each student a copy of Activity Sheet 3,
Parts A and B. Tell students that they are to
measure each of the volumes shown in the
chart on Part B of activity sheet. For each
volume, they must choose the best container
for measuring that amount of liquid. Ask,
How will you choose which container to
use?
Additional Information
Students may realize that a container that is
close in capacity to the volume they are
measuring will be more accurate.
Have students complete their first
measurement and record the measuring
container they chose in the First Container
column of the chart.
Instruct students to pour the water into a
second measuring container and record
which container they used in the Second
Container column.
Tell students to compare the volume
measurements and the shapes of the water in
the two containers and record whether they
were the same or different in the
Measurement and Shape columns.
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Have students decide which of the two
containers was better for measuring this
volume of water and record their decision
and reason in the last column.
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Safety Note: Have students immediately
wipe up any spills.
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Guide a brief class discussion about the
students’ results. Ask, What happened to the
volume of water when you poured it into a
different container?
The volume stayed the same.
What happened to the shape of a certain
volume of water when you poured it into a
different container?
The shape of the water took the shape of the
container.
Ask, How can you decide what is the best
measuring container to use to measure a
certain volume of liquid?
A container that is close in capacity but a
little bit bigger than the volume you want to
measure is best. Also, the more lines the
measuring container has and the farther
apart they are, the more accurate the
measurement will be.
activity 3 Volume
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Have students repeat these steps for each of
the volumes listed in the chart.
REINFORCEMENT
CLEANUP
Have students pour 18 mL of water into one
container and then into each of the other
containers. Have them compare the volume
and the shapes of this measure of water in
all of the containers.
Pour the water in the pitchers and
containers down the sink. Dry the
containers, beakers, and cups and return
them to the kit.
SCIENCE AT HOME
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CIENCE JOURNALS
If students have a measuring cup at home
with metric units, they can practice
measuring the volume of various liquids.
Challenge them to measure each amount of
liquid they drink during one day to find the
total volume of liquid they consume.
Have students place their completed activity
sheets in their science journals.
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Connections
Science Challenge
Science and the Arts
Explain to students that the volume of a solid
object can be calculated by using the formula
length × width × height. The volume of solid
objects is expressed in cubic units because it
is the product of three measurements. In the
metric system, volume measurements are
expressed in cubic meters, cubic decimeters,
and cubic centimeters. First provide each
team with a set of centimeter cubes. Explain
that each cube is 1 cm on a side. Discuss the
volume of a single cube (1 cm3 or 1 cc). Have
students use the cubes to construct blocks
with various dimensions and find the volume
of each block. Then give each team a metric
ruler and small box and challenge them to
measure the length, width, and height of the
box to the nearest whole centimeter. Then
have them calculate the volume of the box.
For the following activity, each team will need
a set of eight identical glass bottles, jars, or
drinking glasses. Tell students to leave one
container empty and to measure and pour
different volumes of water into the other
seven containers—for example 50 mL, 100
mL, 150 mL, and so forth. Have students tap
the containers in sequence with a metal
spoon. The containers will produce different
notes, with the empty one producing the
highest note and the fullest one the lowest
note. Let students adjust the volume of water
in each container as needed to create a full
eight-note scale they can use to play simple
songs.
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Provide students with a variety of containers
of liquid that have the volume on the label in
metric units, such as a milk carton, a can of
soda, and so on. Have them read the labels
and place the containers in order from the
smallest volume of liquid to the largest
volume.
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activity 3 Volume
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Hold up a graduated cylinder, and point out
that it is tube-shaped. Explain that any object
in the shape of a tube is a cylinder. Invite
students to name examples of cylinders in
everyday life (e.g. telephone pole, pencil, a
soup can). Challenge them to identify other
three-dimensional shapes, such as cube and
cone, and give examples of them as well.
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Science Extension
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Science and Math
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