Day 1: Researching:
Before you begin today, your teacher will be placing you in four groups of five students. You will be given a number from 1 to 4. The groups will be made up of people that have the same number. You will meet in these groups when you are completing the activities for this lesson.
First you will learn about the four measures of volume which you will be exploring throughout this unit: cups, pints, quarts, and gallons.
Begin by following the directions on each of the following slides.
You just took a look at containers that hold different measures of volume including: cups, pints, quarts, and gallons. Then you brainstormed individually, in small groups, and as a whole class in order to identify items that you have seen in similar containers at school or at home. Finally, you discussed different things that you can measure using the containers that we looked at. You should continue to think about why containers of different sizes are useful in your world.
Before you continue, take a look at this picture of the dairy aisle and see where you can find gallons, quarts, pints, and cups at the grocery store. Do you recognize anything that you have at home?
Now, we will look through grocery store ads in small groups.
In your group, cut out pictures of containers that hold cups, pints, quarts, and gallons. Create a poster that shows one measure of volume that we discussed.
If your group finishes early, you may ask permission to use one of the classroom computers to estimate the amount of smaller containers full of water that it takes to fill a larger container at the following website:
Day 2: Compiling:
You will begin this activity in the small groups that you were working in during part one.
Today you will be comparing the different measures of volume and putting them together in a display so that other students are able to recognize how the units of measure relate to one another. The slides below will show you how the different measures compare and introduce the project that you will be creating.
Begin by looking at each slide below.
In your groups, create your own Mr. Gallon Project. Your teacher will assign each of the five people in your group a number from 1 to 5. The number that you receive will determine your job in the group work.
The following link gives examples of the Mr. Gallon projects that other students have put together:
Use the worksheet below as a material list check off sheet, a review for the different measures of volume, and as a guideline for what your finished gallon man should look like. Use the instruction sheet for step-by-step instructions for creating your Mr. Gallon.
The final Mr. Gallon Displays that you have created will be displayed around your classroom for reference.
Day 3: Creating:
Today you will use what you know about cups, pints, quarts, and gallons to make recipes of different sizes. You will put all of your recipes together to create a recipe book to take home.
Work in groups of two. Use your Gallon Man to fill in the missing information for the recipe sheets below. You may choose to use measuring tools for cups, pints, quarts, and gallons or the Mr. Gallon display to find the missing pieces in the recipes. You may use sand or water to fill the measuring tools if you choose to use them, but be careful not to spill!
When you have finished the assignment your group can decorate two pieces of constrution paper for the front and back covers of your recipe book and then you can take your recipe book home to enjoy!