Curriculum Guides

Measurement

Grade Level: 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th

Content Area: Measurement

Benchmarks: Units of liquid measurement

Perquisites:

Instructional Practices: Problem Solving, Reasoning, and Communication

Materials:

Models of liquid units (gallon, half-gallon, quart, pint, cup) -one set for each player; a die labeled: 1 cup, 1 cup, 2 cups, 2 cups, 3 cups, return 1 cup or a regular die and following equivalent chart: 1=1 cup; 2=2 cups; 3=3 cups; 4=1 cup; 5=2 cups; 6 = return 1 cup.

Technology:

Activity:

Students (2 to 4) place a model of the gallon unit in front of them. They take turns rolling the die and placing the gallon the number of units the die says. The object is to be the first to make a gallon. ***HOWEVER, TWO OF THE SAME UNITS CANNOT BE ON THE GALLON AT ONE TIME*** Students must trade units. For example, if a student rolls 1 cup on the first roll and 1 cup on the second roll, he must trade the two cups for a pint after the second roll.

Variation: Place two half-gallon models on a gallon. Roll and take away to empty the gallon, making trades as needed.

Source: A workshop at the 4^th Annual K-12 Mathematics Workshop conference in Cookeville, TN June, 1994.