Mass and capacity - Measure capacity 2 - Planning

In this Year 3 lesson on measuring capacity, students are introduced to the concept of volume and how to record it using litres and millilitres. The lesson is structured around practical activities, starting with children exploring capacity by using standard scales to measure liquids in increments of 100 ml and understanding the conversion of 1,000 ml to 1 litre. The class will examine various containers, learning to read scales accurately and to use addition to combine different measurements of litres and millilitres. Key vocabulary such as 'scale', 'capacity', 'litres', 'millilitres', and 'volume' are emphasised throughout the session, with resources available to support language acquisition and understanding.

As part of the independent learning phase, students undertake a series of activities designed to deepen their understanding of capacity. They are challenged to calculate the remaining volume of liquid in a container after a certain amount has been removed, and they engage in reasoning tasks that involve evaluating statements about capacity. To consolidate their learning, children complete differentiated worksheets and participate in a plenary that addresses common misconceptions, such as confusing the relationship between millilitres and litres. The lesson concludes with a self-reflection exercise, encouraging students to think about what they've learned, the skills they've used, such as reading scales and performing addition, and what they found challenging. The aim is for students to confidently measure and record capacity, using both litres and millilitres, and to understand the importance of place value when interpreting scales.