This lesson uses a visual method to teach students about standard liquid measurements.

 

Students will understand gallons, quarts, pints, cups and ounces.

 

• Students will follow directions from teacher.

• Students will make a diagram illustrating how many quarts, pints, cups and ounces are in a gallon.

• Students will learn that different combinations of liquid measures can be used to create a gallon, quart, pint and cup.

Mathematics
Measurement (Grade 3-4)

Benchmark C:
Develop common referents for units of measure for length, weight, volume (capacity) and time to make comparisons and estimates.

Indicators:
Grade 3
2. Establish personal or common referents to include additional units; e.g., a gallon container of milk; a postage stamp is about a square inch.

Grade 4
1. Relate the number of units to the size of the units used to measure an object; e.g., compare the number of cups to fill a pitcher to the number of quarts to fill the same pitcher.

Mathematics
Measurement (Grade 5)

Benchmark B:
Convert units of length, area, volume, mass and time within the same measurement system.

Indicators:
5. Make conversions within the same measurement system while performing computations.

• Student worksheet (included) or blank paper

• Samples of gallon, quart, pint and cup containers

1. Hand out the Mr. or Mrs. Gallonhead worksheet, or draw a large letter “G” (representing the word “gallon”) on a blank sheet of paper.

2. Show the class a gallon-sized container.

3. Have the students divide the space inside the letter “G” into four equal sections and write the letter “Q” (representing a quart) as largely as possible inside each section.

4. Show the class a quart-sized container.

5. Have the students divide the space inside each letter “Q” into two equal sections and write the letter “P” (representing a pint) as largely as possible inside each section.

6. Show the class a pint-sized container.

7. Have the students divide the space inside each letter “P” into two equal sections and write the letter “C” (representing a cup) as largely as possible in each section.

8. Show the class a cup-sized container.

9. Have the students draw a picture of a person inside one of the cup sections and body and then write “I eight a cup of pudding.”

10. Inform the class that “eight” is spelled incorrectly because eight is the number of ounces in one cup.

11. Discuss the various measurements in terms of their equivalents (gallon is the largest measure shown, four quarts equal one gallon, two pints equal a quart, etc.).

12. Next ask the students, “If we want to fill this gallon container and we only have one quart container, how many quarts would we need?” Use the various containers to give other examples.

13. After you are comfortable that the students have grasped the concept, have them try the following equivalency game.

1. Try to write three equivalencies that you think no one else will try. They must only be true about measures in one gallon. Subsequent rounds can involve more than one gallon, if so desired.
      Examples:
         2 quarts + 2 pints + 4 cups = 1 gallon
         8 cups + 2 pints + 32 ounces = 1 gallon
         3 pints + 6 cups + 1 quart = 1 gallon

2. Take turns reading one of your answers. If anybody else has the same answer, cross it out. See if you can come up with one that nobody else has.