Estimating and Measuring Capacity with Cups!

Math Grades 1st Grade 5:31 Video
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Lesson Description

Let's explore how much water different cups can hold and learn to estimate like real mathematicians!

Video Resource

Grade One: Saxon Math Lesson #109 Estimating and Measuring the Capacity of a Container in Cups.

The Eagle's Nest - Our Online Classroom

Duration: 5:31
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Key Concepts

  • Capacity
  • Estimation
  • Measurement
  • Milliliters
  • Cups

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to estimate which container holds the most and least amount of liquid.
  • Students will be able to measure the capacity of different containers using cups.
  • Students will understand the relationship between cups and milliliters (250ml per cup).

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students what they already know about measuring liquids. Show them different sized cups and ask which they think holds the most/least. Introduce the term 'capacity'.
  • Video Viewing (7 mins)
    Watch the YouTube video 'Grade One: Saxon Math Lesson #109 Estimating and Measuring the Capacity of a Container in Cups.' Focus on the teacher's explanations and the experiments with the measuring cups.
  • Guided Practice (8 mins)
    After the video, revisit the concepts. Ask students to estimate how many cups their water bottle holds. Then, using a measuring cup, have them find the actual capacity. Emphasize the difference between estimation and actual measurement.
  • Independent Practice (10 mins)
    Provide students with various containers (e.g., small bowl, juice box, large cup). Have them estimate and then measure the capacity of each using a standard measuring cup. They can record their estimates and measurements on a worksheet.

Interactive Exercises

  • Capacity Sorting
    Provide a set of pictures showing different containers. Students sort the pictures into 'Holds the Most' and 'Holds the Least' categories.
  • Estimation Game
    Show students a container and ask them to estimate how many cups it holds. Then, reveal the actual measurement. The student with the closest estimate wins a point.

Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean to estimate?
  • Why is it important to measure accurately?
  • Can you think of other things we measure besides liquids?

Skills Developed

  • Estimation skills
  • Measurement skills
  • Comparing and Ordering
  • Fine motor skills

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What does it mean to guess how much is in something?

Correct Answer: Estimating

Question 2:

Which cup do you think holds MORE water?

Correct Answer: A tall cup

Question 3:

How many cups did the video say were in the BIG cup?

Correct Answer: Four cups

Question 4:

If we have 2 cups of water, do we have a little or a lot?

Correct Answer: A little

Question 5:

What is a good place at home to try measuring?

Correct Answer: The bathtub

Question 6:

What is 250 + 250?

Correct Answer: 500

Question 7:

What unit is talked about in the video?

Correct Answer: Milliliters

Question 8:

Which cup held the LEAST amount of water?

Correct Answer: Smallest cup

Question 9:

What should you ask before measuring at home?

Correct Answer: Your mom or dad

Question 10:

What is one cup equal to?

Correct Answer: 250 Milliliters

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

We are ___________ how much water fits in each cup.

Correct Answer: estimating

Question 2:

The biggest cup holds the ________ water.

Correct Answer: most

Question 3:

The smallest cup holds the ________ water.

Correct Answer: least

Question 4:

One cup is equal to 250 ____________.

Correct Answer: milliliters

Question 5:

It's fun to ________ and see how much water fits!

Correct Answer: experiment

Question 6:

Two cups is equal to ________ milliliters.

Correct Answer: 500

Question 7:

Four cups is equal to ________ milliliters.

Correct Answer: 1000

Question 8:

Make sure to ask __________ before experimenting at home.

Correct Answer: parents

Question 9:

We use measuring ________ to measure water.

Correct Answer: cups

Question 10:

_________ means to guess how much is in something.

Correct Answer: Estimate

Educational Standards

CCSS.Math.Content.1.MD.A.1:Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object. CCSS.Math.Content.1.MD.A.2:Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps. Limit to contexts where the object being measured is spanned by a whole number of length units with no gaps or overlaps. CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.A.1:Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

Teaching Materials

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