Capacity relay

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Volume: Measure and compare the internal volumes (capacities) of containers by filling

Use uniform informal units to measure how much a container will hold by counting the number of times a smaller container can be filled and emptied into the container being measured
Select appropriate informal units to measure the capacities of containers
Estimate how much a container holds by referring to the number and type of uniform informal unit used and check by measuring

Coloured drawing of students playing 'Capacity relay'.

Equipment

Playing area
Various containers, eg. bucket, ice cream container, milk bottles, spoons, cups
Markers or tape for the start line
Marker cones for obstacles
Stopwatch (if using timed activity period)

Activity set-up

Setup playing area.
Place buckets of water at the end of the playing area for each team.
Place a variety of conatiners at the starting line for each team.
Mark the starting line and arange obstacles.

How to play

Players start off in relay groups behind a starting line. Players choose a small container, weave through the cones and fill the container at the other end. Players weave back through the cones and empty the water into the container being measured.

Identify a container to fill, eg. ice-cream container.
Each team estimates how may smaller containers will be needed to fill the container, eg. cups.
On go, players take turns to weave through the cones, fill up the smaller container and return to the start, emptying the water into the container for measuring.
The next player repeats the process until the container is filled.
Players keep count of the number of times the smaller container has been emptied.

Variations

Make the playing area larger or smaller.
Allow players to choose their own containers, eg. fill the container with the least amounts of pours, fill with the most amount of pours.

Three-dimensional spatial structure