How Much Can I Hold?

Developer: Susan Hennings and Jana Simoneaux

Instructional Hours
•Small Group- 1-2 Computer classroom 2 weeks:1 group/day (2-45 minute sessions)
•Whole Group – 1- 30 minute session in classroom

Participant TEKS Objectives
126.2.(b)(1)(B) start and exit programs as well as create, name, and save files
126.2.(b)(2)(A) use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, camera
126.2.(b)(7)(B) use appropriate software, including the use of word processing and multimedia, to express ideas and solve problems.
111.2.(b)(K.10)(C) compare two containers according to capacity (holds more, holds, less, or holds the same).
111.13(b)(1.7) (E) compare and order two or more containers according to capacity (from holds the most to holds the least)
112.3(b)(4)(B) record and compare collected information;

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students will be familiar with the following software Power Point and Excel, as well as the following hardware: digital camera. Students will be familiar with using non-standard units to measure capacity.

Materials Required:

•Digital Camera

•Computer with Microsoft Power Point and Microsoft Excel

•Computer with presentation screen

•Standard and non-standard containers for measurement

•4 containers differing in size and shape to fill

•Rice, sand, beans, or water for measuring purposes

Choose from one of the following:
•Super Sand Castle Saturday by Stuart Murphy

•Capacity by Henry Arthur Pluckrose and Ramona G. Choos

Procedures:

Direct Instruction:
1. The teacher will introduce the lesson on capacity by reading Super Sand Castle Saturday by Stuart Murphy, or Capacity by Henry Arthur Pluckrose and Ramona G. Choos
2. Show students two different containers. “How can we tell which container holds the most?” Facilitate a brief discussion with students to answer this question.
3. After the discussion, demonstrate for students how to measure the containers.
4. Give students instructions on what they will be working on independently while you are working with individual groups.

Guided Practice:
Session 1:
Students will pour water, rice, beans, or other measuring devices into their container one cup at a time, pausing between each cup to take a picture.
Session 2:
Students will insert pictures into power point and create an animation with teacher assistance.

Direct Instruction:

1. The teacher will conclude the lesson on capacity by sharing each group’s animation with the and graphs results in Microsoft Excel.

Independent Practice:

1. Students will rotate around the classroom completing self-directed measurement activities when their group is not working with the teacher.

Extension Activities:

1. Create a prediction chart: before students being the experiment, allow students to examine each container and predict which containers they think will hold the most and the least. Record predictions and save them to review at the end.
2. Introduce standard units of measurement: have students fill the same container, however, use cups, pints, quarts, and gallons as the measuring tools and compare which tools fills the container faster.

Classroom Management: Small Group
Students will be divided into small homogenous groups for Math instruction and independent mathematics activities. Groups will spend two 45 minute sessions over a two week period in a small group setting to complete the assignment. One session will be used to complete measuring activities and take pictures, while the other session will be used to compile pictures in power point and create animation.

Classroom Management: Whole Group
At the beginning of the lesson, students will sit on the floor in the classroom for direct instruction as the teacher reads the book and discusses prior knowledge and information gathered from the story.
To conclude the lesson, students will sit on the floor in the classroom for direct instruction as the teacher shows each group’s animation and graphs results on the Excel Graph.

Evaluation:

1. Teacher observation checklist (participation)
2. Completion of independent center activities

Closure:

Compare the tool you used to measure to a carton of milk you would drink at lunch. Is your tool bigger or smaller than the carton of milk? Which container would fill up the large container faster?