Mass and capacity - Measure capacity activity - Planning

In a Year 3 summer lesson on measuring capacity, students will explore the concept of how much a container can hold. The lesson commences with a discussion to recall what capacity means and how it differs from volume, encouraging children to define capacity using their existing knowledge. The teacher will then illustrate various types of capacity, such as the number of spectators a football stadium can accommodate or the memory capacity of a phone, to broaden the students' understanding beyond liquids. The children will engage in partner activities, starting with estimating the capacity of a strawberry container and progressing to understanding the fixed capacity of a train carriage, irrespective of the number of passengers. Further activities involve determining the capacity of an empty water bottle and measuring the capacity of both large and small containers, using jugs and spoons respectively.

Throughout these exercises, key questions will prompt students to think critically about the nature of capacity and the tools used for measurement. They will also address common misconceptions, such as confusing capacity with volume or inaccuracies in using a measuring jug. The lesson includes practical activities tailored to different levels of understanding, from making predictions about the capacity of various containers to exploring more appropriate measuring tools for different types of containers. The plenary session will give students a chance to reflect on what they've learned, the skills they've used, and any challenges they encountered. The lesson aims to ensure that students not only grasp the concept of capacity but also become adept at accurately measuring and comparing capacities in a variety of contexts.