Foundations of Mathematical Thinking · 1st Class

Active learning ideas

Comparing and Measuring Capacity

Active learning works for comparing and measuring capacity because young children need concrete experiences to challenge visual assumptions about size. When students physically pour, fill, and compare containers, they build accurate mental models about volume that cannot be formed through worksheets alone.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Strand 3: Geometry and Trigonometry - G.2.1
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Strand 3: Geometry and Trigonometry - G.2.2

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pouring Challenge: Pairs Compare Jugs

Provide pairs with two different containers and a tray of water. Students pour until full, then mark water levels on paper and compare which holds more. Discuss results and repeat with new pairs of containers.

What does it mean for one container to hold more than another?

Facilitation Tip

During Pouring Challenge, circulate and ask pairs to explain why they think one jug holds more, prompting them to point to specific features like width or shape.

What to look for

Give each student two different-sized cups. Ask them to draw one cup and write a sentence explaining if it 'holds more' or 'holds less' than the other. Then, have them draw a third container and order all three from least to most capacity.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Small Groups

Capacity Line-Up: Small Groups Order Bottles

Give small groups three clear containers and sand or water. Groups fill each fully, pour into a line on a tray, and order from least to most capacity. Record with drawings and labels.

How can you find out which of two jugs holds more water?

Facilitation Tip

For Capacity Line-Up, give each small group identical non-standard units so comparisons are fair and focus remains on capacity rather than unit variation.

What to look for

Present students with three distinct containers. Ask them to use a small scoop to fill each container and then verbally explain to you which container holds the most and which holds the least, using the terms 'holds more' and 'holds less'.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 40 min · Whole Class

Non-Standard Fill: Whole Class Relay

Set up a relay with containers and measuring cups as non-standard units. Teams pass cups to fill a target container, counting units needed. Compare team results to see which fills fastest.

Can you order three containers from the one that holds the least to the one that holds the most?

Facilitation Tip

Set up Non-Standard Fill as a timed relay where teams must agree on a unit size before filling to reinforce standardisation.

What to look for

Place three containers of varying shapes but similar heights on a table. Ask students: 'How can we find out which of these containers holds the most water, even though they look almost the same height? What steps should we take?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Individual

Displacement Hunt: Individual Exploration

Students select objects to drop into water-filled bowls, observing level rise. Predict and test which objects displace more water, then share findings with the class.

What does it mean for one container to hold more than another?

Facilitation Tip

For Displacement Hunt, provide a narrow graduated cylinder to make water level changes visible and measurable for each individual container.

What to look for

Give each student two different-sized cups. Ask them to draw one cup and write a sentence explaining if it 'holds more' or 'holds less' than the other. Then, have them draw a third container and order all three from least to most capacity.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with immersive, playful exploration to expose misconceptions before formal instruction. Avoid early explanations of 'how to measure' because students need to experience the confusion firsthand. Research shows that guided discovery through structured activities leads to stronger retention than direct teaching at this stage. Focus on language development by modelling terms like 'holds more,' 'holds less,' and 'fits' during every activity.

Successful learning looks like students using precise language to compare containers, noticing differences beyond height, and ordering containers correctly after hands-on trials. They should demonstrate the ability to explain their reasoning using evidence from their measurements rather than assumptions.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pouring Challenge, watch for students who judge capacity by height alone and ignore the width or shape of containers.

  Prompt pairs to pour water from one jug to the other and observe which container requires more refills to fill completely, directing attention to both dimensions.

• During Capacity Line-Up, watch for students who assume containers of similar appearance hold the same amount.

  Ask groups to fill each bottle with the same non-standard unit and count aloud together, highlighting differences in the number of units each can hold despite similar appearances.

• During Non-Standard Fill, watch for students who confuse the number of units with the actual capacity of the container.

  Stop the relay to review one container’s fill count as a class, modelling how to say, 'This cup needed 8 scoops, so it holds more than the one that needed only 5.'

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning