Lesson 4

Units of Volume

Est. Class Sessions: 1

Developing the Lesson

Estimate and Measure the Volume of a 1-liter Bottle.

Show students an empty 1-liter bottle and ask:

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  • How many cubic centimeters will it take to fill this bottle?
  • How can you find out? (Possible response: Pour measured amounts of water into the container or build a model with centimeter connecting cubes.)
  • The label on the bottle says 1 liter. Could we use that information to find out how many cubic centimeters it will take to fill this bottle? (Possible response: If we know how many cubic centimeters are in a liter, we could use that information.)

Discuss strategies for estimating the number of cubic centimeters in a 1-liter bottle. Ask students to work with a partner to choose and write down their best estimate for the number of cubic centimeters in a 1-liter bottle. After student pairs have recorded their estimates, distribute the materials you gathered for each student pair before the lesson: graduated cylinders, eyedroppers, containers of water, empty 1-liter bottles, and paper towels. Ask students to use the graduated cylinder to measure the volume of the bottle in cubic centimeters.

While groups are working, ask:

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  • How many times do you think you can empty the 250 cc graduated cylinder into the bottle? (About 4 times)
  • How many milliliters is that? (1000 ml)

Compare student measurements by collecting them as they complete them. All student measurements should be close to 1000 cc. Check the process and calculations of measurements not within 10 cc of 1000 cc.

Estimate and Measure the Volume of a Lemon. Introduce Nicholas's problem in Question 1 on the Units of Volume pages in the Student Guide. Show the class a pitcher, a marker, a 250 cc graduated cylinder, and a lemon. Then ask student pairs to work together to develop a strategy for measuring the volume of a lemon.

Ask:

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  • Estimate the volume of the lemon. How much water do you think it will displace?
  • How can Nicholas find the volume of a lemon? (Possible responses: Put a measured amount of water in the pitcher, drop in the lemon, mark the water level, remove the lemon, add water to reach that mark keeping track of the volume, subtract the volume you started with, and you will have the volume of the lemon. Or, use a graduated cylinder to calibrate the pitcher—start with a volume of water in the pitcher, add the lemon, mark and subtract the original volume of water.)

Discuss students' strategies:

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  • Which strategy do you think is the most efficient?
  • Which do you think is the most accurate?
  • Which strategies do you want to try to find the volume of the lemon?

Have the class choose two strategies that they think are accurate and efficient. Have volunteers find the volume of a lemon using each strategy and compare the results.

Ask pairs to answer Questions 2 and 3 to explore Nicholas's strategy for measuring the volume of the lemon. After students have had a chance to explore the questions on their own, review them as a class.

Explore Units of Volume. Summarize the unit relationships in Question 3 by asking the class to complete the following sentences:

1 liter = _________ cc (1000)
0.5 liter = _________ cc (500)
0.25 liter = _________ cc (250)
0.75 liter = _________ cc (750)

Discuss the relationship between cubic centimeters and milliliters by exploring Question 4 together as a class. Add this number sentence to the list above:

1 ml = 1 cubic centimeter (cc)

Use Questions 5–12 to reinforce the relationships between these units of measure. In Question 11, students are asked to compare milliliters and cubic centimeters to liters using benchmarks. In Question 12, students complete number sentences to compare milliliters and cubic centimeters to liters.

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Use Check-In: Question 12 to assess students' progress toward solving problems involving volume [E4] and using the relationship between larger and smaller units of measure to solve problems [E5].

The Homework section and Question 12 can be used as models for targeted practice. This can be done with standard and nonstandard units.

  • Measure the Volume of the closet in basketballs.
  • Measure the Volume of the trash can in shoes.
  • Measure the Volume of the sink in liters.
Student Guide: 566 567 568
Answers
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