Measuring Amounts with Green Eggs and Ham

Measuring Amounts with Green Eggs and Ham

Purpose/Skills

• To measure amounts

Materials
1 large bucket, bowl, jar, or container; one small jar or measuring cup; water, sand, or other medium for pouring

Literature Suggestion
Read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss and have children chant along.

Vocabulary
measure
small
large

Warm-Up
Talk about whether children might like to have green punch with their green eggs and ham. Then discuss how they could measure green punch. How much green punch would it take to fill this bowl? Demonstrate with water (green, if you wish) or sand by filling one cup at a time and transferring it into a bowl. Have children count with you and conclude that it takes whatever number of cups you counted together.

Procedure

• Play "How Much Green Punch Will It Take?" Say, "Everybody likes green punch with their green eggs and ham and I think we will need to fill this jar to have enough. How many of these cups of green punch will it take to fill the jar?"
• Work with volunteers in turn to count the cups it takes to fill the jar. Then have a good laugh as you say, "It will take (number) cups to fill the jar. I think that is enough green punch to fill our stomachs, too."

Enrichment
Observe as children fill various containers at the sand or water table, and ask questions or pose problems such as, "I wonder how many of these jars of water it will take to fill that jug. How many cups did you use to fill that bowl? Do you think it will take more or fewer cups for this bowl?"

Observation Assessment

• Proficient - Child can easily measure amounts and count to find how many of one size container it takes to fill another.
• In Process - Child participates and can fill a smaller container many times, but cannot always determine the number required to fill a larger container.
• Not Yet Ready - Child does not yet fill one container and transfer amounts to another in an orderly way.