Mathematical Explorers: Building Foundations · 2nd Class

Active learning ideas

Measuring Capacity with Non-Standard Units

Active measuring with non-standard units builds spatial thinking by letting students feel volume through repeated, concrete actions. Children compare containers by filling them, which makes abstract ideas like three-dimensional space visible and measurable in their hands.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Number - N.1.3

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Predict and Fill

Pair students with two containers; they predict which holds more, choose a non-standard unit like teaspoons of water, fill both carefully, and count units. Pairs compare results and swap containers to verify. Discuss any prediction surprises as a class.

How can you measure how much a container holds using cups, spoons, or other objects?

Facilitation Tip

During Estimate My Jar, provide lined paper and pencils for students to record their estimates and counts side by side for comparison.

What to look for

Provide students with two containers of different sizes and a single non-standard unit (e.g., a small plastic cup). Ask them to fill each container with the unit and count how many cups it takes for each. Then, ask: 'Which container holds more? How do you know?'

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

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Capacity Sort

Provide 4-5 varied containers per group and one unit like small cups of sand. Groups fill each, count units, and order containers from least to most capacity on a chart. Present findings to class with reasons.

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

What to look for

Give each student a small worksheet with three drawn containers. Ask them to draw a line from the container to the correct word: 'holds least', 'holds medium', 'holds most'. Below the drawings, ask them to write one sentence about how they decided the order.

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

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Unit Relay

Set up stations with containers; teams relay to fill one using classroom spoons of water, counting aloud as a group. Time teams and compare total units. Reflect on fair unit use.

Can you compare the capacity of different containers and put them in order from least to most?

What to look for

Present students with a tall, narrow jar and a short, wide bowl. Ask: 'Which container do you think will hold more water? Why? Now, let's use our measuring cups to find out. What did we discover about how shape affects capacity?'

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

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: Estimate My Jar

Each child gets a jar and guesses units of blocks needed to fill it, then measures and records actual count. Share estimates versus results in pairs to spot patterns.

How can you measure how much a container holds using cups, spoons, or other objects?

What to look for

Provide students with two containers of different sizes and a single non-standard unit (e.g., a small plastic cup). Ask them to fill each container with the unit and count how many cups it takes for each. Then, ask: 'Which container holds more? How do you know?'

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with familiar objects like plastic cups or blocks so students focus on the process of filling and counting rather than the units themselves. Use guided questions to steer conversations from 'Which is bigger?' to 'How many of these fit inside?' Avoid vocabulary like 'heavy' or 'deep,' and instead emphasize 'holds more units.' Research shows that physical repetition with varied containers builds stronger spatial reasoning than worksheets alone.

Students will accurately count units, select matching containers to their measurements, and explain why shape affects capacity using evidence from their own work. They will revise predictions after testing and discuss differences with peers.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Predict and Fill, watch for students who assume the container that looks bigger will always hold more units.

  Prompt pairs to fill both containers one unit at a time and count aloud together, using the counts as evidence to adjust their initial prediction.

• During Capacity Sort, watch for groups mixing different sized units like spoons and blocks in the same count.

  Require each group to agree on one unit type before sorting and provide a visual reference card of the unit size to hold them accountable.

• During Unit Relay, watch for students who focus only on container height rather than volume.

  Ask each runner to describe the container's shape aloud before measuring and report both the count and shape to the class.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning