Comparing Containers

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling

• Introduce new vocabulary words using the vocabulary cards and by using gestures to define each word (for example, gesture with your hands up high to show the word tall).
• Place the two cups on a surface to catch the overflow water (e.g., a shallow pan), and then use a think-aloud to answer the question: "How could I find out which cup holds more?"
• Model pouring the water into each of the cups and then using the target vocabulary words to describe what you see. "This cup is full. How can I check if the other cup holds more, less, or the same amount of water? I am going to pour the water into it."
• Complete your instruction by comparing the water each cup holds using the target vocabulary words, e.g., "This cup holds more water. I know it holds more because when I use the smaller cup to fill it, it takes more of the cups."

Guided Practice

• Draw a Venn diagram using the visual vocabulary cards "more," "less," "same" as the headings.
• Ask students to think about if the two cups held more, less, or the same amount of water. Have students turn and talk to share with a partner. Refer back to the vocabulary cards as needed.
• Explain that now you will be giving students a chance to explore different containers to see which container holds more.
• Show each of the water stations (tubs, cups, water in pouring containers) to be used and go over expectations of students (how many students should be at each station, that the water stays in the tub, etc).
• Pair students together and send off to one of the stations.
• As students work, encourage them to describe what they see using the new vocabulary words (pass out cards to each pair as needed).

Group work time

• Gather students back and ask for their reflection on the activity by refering to the Venn digram and asking, "Which of your containers held more? How do you know? Can you describe what you did?"
• Provide guiding questions and sentence starters to support students in describing their process: "The __ __ __ __ held more." "I know because __ __ __ __." "I __ __ __ __ water."
• Display and then pass out the Which Holds More worksheet and explain that students will get to draw in the first two images on their own. They can continue with the rest if time allows.