---
title: "Capacity and volume"
description: "Measure and begin to record capacity and volume using non-standard and standard units"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/capacity-and-volume-mt_4lp_b5Pzik
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/capacity-and-volume-mt_4lp_b5Pzik.md
retrieved: 2026-11-12
---

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# Capacity and volume

Measure and begin to record capacity and volume using non-standard and standard units

Subject: Mathematics · Area: Measurement · Ages 5 to 6
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/capacity-and-volume-mt_4lp_b5Pzik

## Ready when they can

- Measure capacity by counting equal full cupfuls, and find how many cupfuls remain after some water is poured out
- Begin to use litres as a unit of capacity
- Record capacity measurements with a number and unit

## Lesson: Counting cups to measure capacity

Capacity is how much a container holds when full. The water inside may be less. Here, choose a container that fills exactly with full cupfuls. Start empty. Use the same full cup for every pour and count until full. Pour without spills. If water spills, empty the container and start again.

*(drawing: Each block represents one full cupful. These three cupfuls fill an empty jug without spills.)*

**Example.** Omar fills an empty bottle without spills using five full cupfuls from the same cup. He writes '5 cups'. The number tells how many. The unit tells what he used. Writing only '5' or only 'cups' leaves out part of the measurement.

Litres measure capacity and amounts of liquid. Fill a one-litre jug to its one-litre mark to measure one litre. Count each litre poured. Record the number and unit, such as '4 litres'. A ruler measures length in centimetres. A weighing scale measures mass in grams.

Cups can differ in size. Compare cup counts only when the measuring cups hold the same amount. More cupfuls then means greater capacity. A larger cup needs fewer full cupfuls to fill the same empty jug: six small cupfuls might fill it, or three large ones.

If you pour in two rounds, count the cupfuls from both rounds together. Keep the same cup throughout. Two cupfuls followed by four more make six cupfuls. Count every block, or start at two and count on four: three, four, five, six.

Pouring water out changes the amount inside, not the container's capacity. A jar with six cups of water has five cups left after one cup is poured out. Count the cupfuls left. To find how many more cupfuls will fill a container, count from the amount inside up to its capacity.

To find how much more one container holds, use the same unit for both. Count from the smaller number to the larger number. A pot holding eight cups holds two cups more than one holding six cups, using the same measuring cup. This method also works with litres.

**Recap.** Count the cups, then write the number with a unit.

*This capacity lesson, its questions and flashcards were written for this dataset.*

## Practice

17 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Comparing Capacity](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/comparing-capacity-mt_zkFbMLpu3U)

## Opens up

- [Choosing measurement units](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/choosing-measurement-units-mt_DOe893F6gN)