TABLE OF CONTENTS

.............................................................................................

1. Introduction 1 pg

2. A video in the internet that show how volume of liquid are measured 2

3. Teaching aids 3 - 6

4. Teaching activities 7 - 14

5. Conclusion 14

6. References 15

Introduction

Volume of liquid refers to the capacity of liquids in the containers. Capacity can be measured by

using non standard units (more or less) and in standard unit litters (l) in the metric system.

Investigations amount of liquids which can be poured between containers of different shapes and

sizes. Exploration of capacity or volume of liquid involves manipulation of containers of various

sizes that may either be collected or purchased for classroom activities. A cheap way to do the

activities is to have your students collect some containers such as mineral water bottles, soft

drink cans, vases which can be found around them.

Teacher can display those collections of containers in a learning centre for students to explore

capacity measurement. Every learning centre should have at least a standard graduated

measuring cylinder in liters. This is to enable the students to measure volume of liquids

especially in standard units.

Volume is defined as the amount of space taken up by a three-dimensional object. Volume often

refers to liquid volume, which is defined as the amount of space taken up by a liquid, which

spreads completely to fill its container.

There several devices used for measuring volume:

measuring spoons - tablespoon, teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon

measuring cups

graduated cylinders

beakers

When measuring a small liquid volume, such as a dosage of cough syrup, the best unit to

use is milliliters.

A slightly larger volume, like the amount of flour or sugar needed to make a cake, would

be measured using cups.

The volume of a large amount, for example soda in a bottle or milk in a carton, can be

measured using liters. 1

A video in the internet that show how volume of liquid are measured

Misconception on volume of liquid may arise among the students when comparing capacity of

two containers that can hold more. These misconceptions are derived from their prior knowledge

and experiences with numbers in their everyday lives. These misconceptions hinder the learning

process, because they are tightly held by students. Teachers need to provide tangible experiences

to break these misconceptions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=VASC2aeehWc&feature=player_embedded

From the video above, it introduces the definition of volume firstly. The definition of volume is

measuring the amount of space something takes up. The Ted Tunes said that green container is

the largest container while the Barkley said that blue container is the largest container. This a

misconception caused by visual perception. The Ted Tunes assumes that the green container is

higher than blue container, so the green container is the largest container. While the Barkley

assumes that the blue container is broader than green container, so the blue container is the

largest container. The video shows a best way to eliminate this misconception by doing an

experiment to prove that the two different shape containers hold the same amount of liquid. The

two different shape containers are full poured by different colour of liquids. Then, the liquid in

these containers are poured into the same size and shape beaker respectively. The finding shows

that the two different shape containers hold the same amount of liquid. The most effective

method of eliminating Mathematics misconceptions is to address them immediately when

observed. This is imperative, so students do not carry these misconceptions any further and

develop a better understanding of mathematics.

2

Teaching aids

1. Realia

( different types of containers and worksheets)

1.1 Teaching aids (low achiever students)

Glass Mineral water bottle Glass bottle

Bowl Pail Small cup

3

1.2 Teaching aids (high achiever students)

Measuring cylinder Jug Tea pot Flask

Teaching activiy (low achiever students)

Title: Comparing and measuring volumes of liquid

Learning outcome:

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to compare and measure volumes of liquid using

non-standard units.

Materials: glass, mineral water bottle, glass bottle, bowl, pail, water, small cup

Procedures:

1. Divide the pupils into group of four to do work in their cooperative learning.

2. Appoint one student to be the recorder in the group

3. Give each group 4 set of containers of different sizes, a pail of water and a small cup as the

measurement tool.

4. Each group will record the number of cup needed to fill the water in every containers into the

form given.

4

Number Containers Cups of water

1 Glass

2

Mineral water bottle

3

Glass bottle

4

Bowl

Conclusion:

For this activity pupils will bear in mind that the volume of liquid will be determined based on

the containers used. The bigger containers the more quantities of water are needed to fill in.

5

Worksheet

Circle the containers that hold more water with green and the containers that hold less water

with red. Fill in the blanks with more or less.

6

Teaching activiy (high achiever students)

Title: Measuring volumes of liquid in litres

The flower vase has ________

water but the glass has______

water.

The cup has ________

water but the jug has______

water.

The pail has ________

water but the mineral water

bottle has______

water.

Learning outcome:

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to compare and measure volumes of liquid using

standard units.

Materials: jug, tea pot, flask, measuring cylinder, water

Procedures:

1. Divide the pupils into group of four to do work in their cooperative learning.

2. Appoint one student to be the recorder in the group

3. Give each group 3 set of containers of different sizes, a pail of water and two measuring

cylinders.

4. Each group will fill every container with water.

5. They will measure the volume of liquid in each container by pouring the water from the

containers into the measuring cylinders.

7

6. A group member records the results in the form given.

8

Conclusion:

Number Containers Measuring cylinder (litres)

1 Jug

2 Tea pot

3 Flask

For this activity pupils know that volume of liquid can be measured by using metric units such

liter.

Worksheet

Fill in the blanks each container with the volume of liquid it can hold.

9

2. Power point

less than 1 litre 1 litre

more than 6 litres 5 litres

2 litres

Teaching activity (low achiever students）

Title: Comparing and measuring volumes of liquid

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to compare and measure volumes of liquid using

non-standard units.

Materials:

PowerPoint, small cups, glass, beaker, water

Beaker Glass Small cup

Procedures:

1. Present the PowerPoint.

2. Introduce the vocabulary of more water than, less water than, and same amount of water.

3. Students are asked to compare volumes of two different containers in the Power Point show.

4. Show to the student how to measure volumes of water by pouring it into cups.

5. Divide the class into groups of five students. Each group is given small cups, a beaker and a

glass.

6. The beaker and the glass are full filled by water.

7. Then each group pours the water in beaker into the small cups. 10

8. Count how many small cups are used.

9. Repeat the step 7 and 8 for the glass.

Containers The number of small cups

Beaker

Glass

Conclusion:

A container which has larger volumes is the container which can hold more water, and the

container which has smaller volumes is the container which can hold less water.

11

Teaching activity（ high achiever students ）

Title: Comparing and measuring volumes of liquid

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to compare and measure volumes of liquid using

non-standard units.

Materials:

Water, two different sizes of beakers (Beaker A and Beaker B), pail

Beaker A Beaker B

Procedures:

1. Students are explained how to measure volumes of liquid and compare the volume of the

containers.

2. Show two different sizes of beakers to the students.

3. Students are asked that which beaker can holds more water and which one can hold less

water.

4. Appoint a student in the class to refill the Beaker A with water and pour the water from the

beaker A into the Beaker B.

5. Then, students have to fill bellowing worksheet.

a. The Beaker A can hold________ water than the Beaker B.

b. The Beaker B can hold _________water than the Beaker A. 12

6. Divide the class into group of 5 students.

7. Each group of students is given a pail and two different sizes of beakers: Beaker A and

Beaker B.

8. Students pour the water into the pail by using Beaker A until it is filled to the top.

9. Count how many Beakers A of water are used.

10. Repeat step 8 and 9 by using the Beaker B.

11. Students are asked to record their result in the following table.

Containers Beaker A Beaker B

Volume of water in the pail

Conclusion:

The smaller container has the smaller volume of liquid while the larger container has the larger

volume of liquid.

13

Enrichment activity

1. Play the game in group of 5 students.

2. Appoint a student in the class to be the recorder.

3. Appoint the student to be the shuffled of the cards.

4. The game consists 5 rounds to finish.

5. It begins, when the group members will be given a face down card on the table in every round.

6. Then, they open up the cards and read the volume of liquid stated on. The student with the

biggest amount is the winner in that round.

7. Repeat until 5 rounds.

8. The group with the highest marks is the winner.

Conclusion

Volume of liquid is the volume of a given amount of liquid such as the amount of space a liquid,

but most of them fall under either the metric system of measurement or the imperial system of

measurement. In imperial system, we measure volume of liquid in teaspoons, tablespoons, and

cups. While in metric system, we measure volume of liquid by the liter. Most of the students will

assume that volume is the same as weight. Teachers must help students to eliminate this

misconception as soon as possible by doing experiments or activities.

http://phangsookkin.blogspot.com/

14

References

60 litres 110 litres 240 litres 290 litres 375 litres

My blog address : http://phangsookkin.blogspot.com/

Books and Research Papers

Cockroft, W. H. (1986). Mathematics Counts. London: HMSO.

D’ Augustine, C.H. (1973). Multiple Methods of Teaching Mathematics in the

Elementary School. New York: Harper & Row Publisher.

NCTM (1989). Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics. New

York.

Newman, M. A. (1997). “An Analysis of 6th Grade Pupil’s Error on Written

Mathematical Task”. Research in Mathematical Education in Australia. Vol 5: 239-258.

Sobel , M.A. & Maletsky, E.M. (1972). Teaching Mathematics: A Sourcebook of Aids,

Activities, and Strategies. Prentice Hall: New Jersey.

Tengku Zawiwi b Tengku Zainal (1997b). “Peranan Komputer dalam Pendidikan

Matematik”. Buletin Jabatan Sains (JASA). Jilid 1(1):1-6.

Websites

“Piaget's theory of cognitive development”, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaget

%27s_theory_of_cognitive_development.

Video titled “What is volume?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VASC2aeehWc&feature=player_embedded

15