Lara Buchmann-Duck Fri. Mar.

10th 17

Lesson Plan: Friendship Friday, Exploring Capacity

Grade: Kindergarten Unit: Measurement

Topic: Volume/Capacity Date: Fri. Mar. 10th 17
Length of Lesson: 30 min. Subject: Early Numeracy
General Shape and Space:
Learning o Use direct and indirect measurement to solve problems.
Outcomes
Specific The child:
Learning o uses direct comparison to compare two objects based on a single
Outcomes attribute, such as length (height), mass (weight) and volume
(capacity). [C, CN, PS, R, V]

Instructional - To explore capacity freely and compare cup sizes to determine which
Objectives holds the greater volume.

Lesson Focus - What is volume (capacity)?

Question and - How can we compare container size based on their capacity?
Key Questions
Materials - Sesame Street YouTube video on volume:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IWnl7v9gGY
- 5 stations of materials for exploring volume
Sand table (toys removed) and cups
Rice/moon beads container and cups
Unit cubes bucket at table and cups
Water bucket at table and cups
Gemstones/pebbles at table and cups
- Various other smaller cups and measuring spoons for each station
- Smartboard and computer to play YouTube video and PowerPoint
- Pete the Cat cut-out to hang up (and tape)
- Anchor chart paper OR white board (with appropriate markers) to write
challenge and students ideas

Resources - Sesame Street YouTube video on volume:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IWnl7v9gGY
- PowerPoint and lesson ideas from
http://www.kindergartenkindergarten.com/2012/07/math-problem-
solving-measurement-capacity.html

Procedure
Introduction 1. This lesson will be repeated 4 times for 30 min. each for the different
(10 min.) Kindergarten groups.
2. Get the students to come and have a seat at the carpet area.

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3. Play the short Sesame Street YouTube video on the Smartboard on

volume.
4. After the video, go through the PowerPoint on volume. Read out the
questions and ask the students (i.e. what would you use to give an
elephant a bath?). Take student responses for each, and ask them how
they know their answer.
5. After going through the PowerPoint, introduce the students to their
challenge. Refer to Pete the Cat and the written out challenge on the
whiteboard/anchor chart: Pete the Cat is very thirsty! Which cup should
he use at your station to drink from?
a. Explain to the students that they will be broken up into groups of
4 or 5 (decided by me).
b. Their group will be put at one of the stations (sand, water,
rice/moon beads, unit cubes, gemstones/rocks).
c. There are various cups at their station and they should find out
which cup they should give to Pete the Cat to drink from if he is
very thirsty. They should be prepared to explain how they know
which cup to use to me.
d. Go over the rules about the centers: the materials should stay in
the bucket so only scoop into the cups over the tubs/buckets; no
throwing or splashing of water or other materials; remind them
that this is not a free time to play with the materials, but rather
they should be working on the challenge.
6. Divide the students into groups of about 3 or 4 students so that there are
5 groups, and assign them each to a station. Ask them to get started with
the challenge.

Body of Lesson 1. As the students work at their station to figure out the challenge,
(15 min.) circulate amongst the groups and carry out some observations and
conversations. Make sure they are staying on-task and provide them
with some hints and guidance as needed. If they quickly figure out
which cup is the biggest at their station, ask them how they know this
(i.e. encourage them to say how many smaller scoops fit into the cup
or how many unit cubes/gemstones fit inside). Keep an eye on the
clock and when students have had about 10-15 minutes to experiment
with their materials, get their attention again. Ask one person from
each group to bring the cup they have chosen to give to Pete the Cat to
drink from to the carpet area, and to have a seat.

Closure 1 At the carpet area, refer to the whiteboard where the challenge is
(5 min.) written. Ask each group which cup they chose for Pete the Cat, and ask
them to explain why. Record which cup each group chose on the white

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board. As a conclusion, emphasize that the biggest cup which holds the
most makes the most sense for Pete the Cat to drink from when he is
very thirsty. Keep an eye on the clock and when it is time for the
students to rotate to the next room, ask them to do so, and repeat the
lesson with the next group.

Sponge Activity N/A

Assessment Observational: Carry out some observation/conversation/questioning at the

carpet area and as students work on determining which cup is the biggest. These
conversations and discussions will determine where students are at in their
understanding of volume and capacity. Takes some photo evidence of them
working as well.

Specific Learner Some students will struggle more with staying on-task in this lesson and with
Considerations determining which cup has the greatest volume and capacity. Be aware of these
and Adaptations students and give them extra support and guidance as is needed.