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309 Sand Play 3

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Teacher Notes


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Activity OutcomeUsing comparative language associated with volume and capacity. Directly comparing and measuring the capacity of containers by counting informal units.
MTS Set 1
NSW Curriculum MS3 Volume and Capacity
Topics Direct Measure
Understand Units
Volume and Capacity
Keywords Volume and Capacity
GroupingSmall groups
ResourcesFoam cup, choc-milk carton, cereal box, ice-cream container, milk carton, 3 saucepans (same shape and different sizes). Sand-play area.
Lesson Notes
  • Children require the opportunity to freely play with and explore the capacity of different containers.
  • To carry out this activity it will be necessary to work with small groups of children in a sand-play box.
  • Select the containers in Task 1 and ask: We are going to find out how many foam cups of sand will fill these containers. How many foam cups will fill the cereal box? What do you think? Write your guess in the small box.
  • Direct children to carry out the activity and compare their estimate and finding. Ask: Did you estimate too many cups?
  • Too few? About right?
  • Direct children to the next container in Task 1 and ask: Will you need more or less foam cups to fill the ice-cream container? How many foam cups of sand will you need to fill the ice-cream container? Write your guess in the small box.
  • Direct children to carry out the activity and compare their estimate and finding. Ask: Did you estimate too many cups?
  • Too few? About right?
  • Repeat for the milk carton.
  • Repeat for Tasks 2-4.
ReflectionsAsk: Can you make a pile of sand that you think will fill the large/small/middle-size saucepan? Ask: Can you dig a whole that is just big enough to bury the cereal container?
Integration Links Not applicable
Internet Links Not applicable
AnswersNot applicable