Materials
sand and water table
measuring cups
4 large plastic tumblers of equal size and shape
water
Instructions
1. Line up the tumblers in a row in the sand and water table.
2. Fill each with water as follows: 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, and 1 cup.
3. Ask the children questions that encourage them to compare, estimate, and
think about measurement. For example, "Which tumbler has more water?
Which has less?"
4. Pour more water into one of the tumblers to make it equal to the amount of
water in another tumbler. Move the tumblers around so that the tumblers
with the same amount of water are not next to each other.
5. Ask the children to find the tumblers that have the same amount of water.
6. Keep the measuring cups and several larger containers in the sand and water
table for the children to explore. Notice if they use the measuring cups to fill
up the larger containers. Encourage them to count how many cups it takes to
fill up the container. Remember to use the proper names of the measuring
cups, for example, "It took three half cups to fill the yellow bucket."
