Mass and capacity - Measure capacity - Presentation

In a comprehensive lesson about measuring capacity, students are introduced to the concept of capacity and volume within the context of mass and capacity. The lesson aims to teach students how to measure the capacity of various containers using standard units of measurement. A key distinction is made between capacity, which is the total amount of liquid a container can hold, and volume, which is the actual amount of liquid present in the container at any given time. The lesson encourages students to discuss and identify the units used to measure capacity, such as millilitres (ml) and litres (l), and to explore the differences and similarities between capacity and volume.

Through a series of engaging activities, students are prompted to use sentence stems to describe the capacity and volume of different containers, reinforcing their understanding of the concepts. They are tasked with identifying the scales on various containers and determining the volume of liquid each contains. The lesson also includes reasoning exercises where students use clues to deduce the volume of liquid in specific containers and estimate the capacity of various containers before verifying their guesses with measuring jugs and cylinders. The aim is to build fluency in measuring and comparing capacities, and to enable students to confidently discuss and record their findings using appropriate units of measurement.