Materials
large piece of poster board
markers
sand and water table
large plastic pitcher
large plastic cylindrical container (about the size of an oatmeal container)
large plastic bowl
large square plastic box
1-cup measuring cup
many cutout pictures of a 1-cup measuring cup
glue
Instructions
* Prepare the chart:
1. Divide the poster board into five columns. The first column should be half the
width of the other four. The other four should be equal widths.
2. Draw a line across the bottom of the chart about five inches from the
bottom.
3. Draw a simple representation of each container in each of the second
through fifth columns: for example, draw the cylindrical container at the
bottom of the second column, the bowl at the bottom of the third column,
the pitcher at the bottom of the fourth column, and the square box at the
bottom of the fifth column.
4. Right above the
dividing line, begin
numbering the first
column from the
bottom up 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, and 7. Keep the
spacing of the numerals
fairly equal.
* Do the activity
1. Fill the sand and water
table with water and
add the different
containers.
2. Ask the children to
predict how many cups
it will take to fill each
container.
3. Have the children take
turns pouring cups of
water into one
container.
4. After the children have
counted the number of
cups it took to fill one
container, have them
glue the same number
of paper cutouts in the
appropriate column.
5. Continue predicting and filling the other containers. Glue the appropriate
number of cup cutouts to the chart for each item.
6. Extend the activity by adding different sizes of measuring cups to the sand and
water table. Ask the children to predict how many of each type it will take to
fill one cup. For example, how many half cups fill a cup? Quarter cups? Let the
children experiment with the cups to prove or disprove their prediction.
