Lesson 8

Full of Beans

Est. Class Sessions: 3

Developing the Lesson

Part 1: Launching the Lab and Drawing a Picture

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Volume. Volume is a measure of size. It is the amount of space that an object takes up. If the object is a container, like a box or a cup, then the volume is the amount of space inside it. Capacity is the greatest volume a container can hold. This lab helps students investigate concepts of volume (capacity), without using these terms.

Begin this lesson by showing students a 2-ounce cup and some lima beans.

Ask:

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  • How can you find out how many lima beans will fit into this cup? (Fill the cup and count the beans.)
  • Do you think that you will get the same number every time you filled the cup with lima beans and counted them? Why or why not? (Possible response: Not every time. One time I may put a few more beans in the cup but the measurements should be similar.)
  • How can you find out how many kidney beans will fit into this cup?
  • Will it take the same number of kidney beans to fill the cup as it took lima beans? Why or why not? (Possible response: I think it will take more kidney beans to fill the cup because they are smaller; I think it will take more lima beans because they are larger.)

Demonstrate how to carefully fill a 2-ounce cup with beans. Stipulate that the cup is full when the beans are level with the rim of the cup. Show students how they can use a piece of paper to check this. This keeps the procedure "fair" when comparing the number of each type of bean required to fill the cups.

Pour the beans on a surface so they can be displayed for students.

Ask:

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  • What is a good way to group these beans to make it easier to count them? (group by tens and ones)

Display and discuss how the Ten Frames Master can help students group and count or show the modified egg carton and discuss how it can be used for counting. Each ten frame can hold a group of ten beans or each egg carton section can hold a group of ten beans. See Figure 1.

Tell students they are going to count to find the number of small beans that fit in the cup and the number of large beans that fit into the same cup. Explain the steps listed below:

  1. Fill a 2-ounce cup to the rim with the smaller beans.
  2. Find the number of beans in the cup by grouping and counting.
  3. Repeat this procedure with the larger beans.

Have students draw a picture of the procedure in the Draw section of the Full of Beans pages in their Student Activity Book.

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In assessing the drawings, look for two cups, the two different sizes of beans, and beans being grouped and counted.

Now ask students to write a statement or question that describes what they are trying to find out in this lab.

Adventure Book:
Student Activity Book: 305
Answers
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SG_Mini
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Master:
Modifying an egg carton from 12 to 10 cups
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