Grade 1
Course ContentCapacity
Habari Mwanafunzi! Let's Dive into the World of Capacity!
Have you ever been very, very thirsty after playing outside? You run inside and grab a cup of water. Gulp, gulp, gulp! Then, you might need another one. What if you used a big jug instead? It would hold much more water! Today, we are going to learn all about Capacity, which is the special word we use to talk about how much liquid a container can hold. It's going to be a lot of fun!
What is 'Capacity'?
Capacity is simply a measure of how much space is inside a container. It tells us how much liquid (like water, milk, or juice) something can hold.
Look around your home. You will see capacity everywhere!
- The sufuria Mama uses to cook uji has a certain capacity.
- The jerican we use to fetch water has a large capacity.
- The kikombe (cup) you use for tea has a small capacity.
- A bottle of soda has its own capacity too!
Image Suggestion: A vibrant, colourful illustration of a Kenyan kitchen. On the counter, there is a metal sufuria, a 20-litre yellow jerican, a ceramic kikombe with a floral pattern, and a 1-litre packet of milk (maziwa). The style should be friendly and cartoonish, suitable for a child's textbook.
Measuring Capacity: Comparing Containers
Some containers hold more liquid than others. We say they have a larger capacity. Containers that hold less liquid have a smaller capacity.
Which one holds MORE?
A Spoon or A Cup?
.--. .-----.
|____| ( )
`--' `-----'
Answer: The Cup has a larger capacity!
A Bucket or A Jerican?
/ \ +-------+
| | | |
| | | |
\________/ |_______|
Answer: A big jerican usually has a larger capacity than a bucket!
Fun at Home: Ask a grown-up if you can help them in the kitchen. Try and find out how many small cups of water it takes to fill up one big jug. This is you measuring capacity! You are a mathematician!
Our Measuring Superstars: The Litre (L) and Millilitre (mL)
To measure capacity properly so everyone in the world understands, we use special standard units. The two most important ones for us are the Litre and the Millilitre.
- The Litre (L): We use the litre to measure larger amounts of liquid. Think about a big packet of milk or a large bottle of cooking oil from the duka. That's often 1 Litre!
- The Millilitre (mL): We use the millilitre to measure very small amounts of liquid. Think about the small bottle of medicine or a small packet of yoghurt. That is measured in mL.
A very important secret you must know is that "milli" means one-thousandth. This gives us a magic connection between litres and millilitres!
The Magic Number: 1 Litre = 1000 Millilitres
This is the most important rule in capacity! One litre is the same as one thousand millilitres. Wow!
+-------------------+
| |
| 1 Litre | is the SAME AS 1000 x (1 Millilitre bottles)
| (L) |
| |
+-------------------+
Image Suggestion: A simple, clear diagram. On the left, show one large, transparent 1-Litre bottle filled with blue water. On the right, show 10 smaller 100-mL bottles also filled with blue water, arranged neatly. An arrow connects them with the text "1 Litre = 1000 Millilitres" written boldly in the middle.
This means if you have a soda that is 500 mL, you need two of them to make 1 Litre!
Step 1: We know 1 Litre = 1000 mL.
Step 2: We have a bottle of 500 mL.
Step 3: Let's add another bottle: 500 mL + 500 mL = 1000 mL.
Step 4: So, 1000 mL is 1 Litre.
Answer: We need 2 bottles!
Capacity Maths: Adding and Subtracting Liquids!
We can also do addition and subtraction with capacity. Let's try!
Story Time: Juma is making a fruit punch for his friends. He mixes 2 Litres of orange juice with 1 Litre of pineapple juice. What is the total capacity of the punch?
To find the total, we add!
2 Litres (Orange juice)
+ 1 Litre (Pineapple juice)
----------
3 Litres (Total punch)
----------
Juma has 3 Litres of delicious punch! Easy, right?
Another Story: Akinyi has a jerican that holds 10 Litres of water. She uses 4 Litres to water her sukuma wiki (kales) in the garden. How much water is left in the jerican?
To find what is left, we subtract!
10 Litres (In the jerican at the start)
- 4 Litres (Used for watering)
-----------
6 Litres (Water left)
-----------
Akinyi has 6 Litres of water left. You are doing so well!
Time to be a Capacity Champion!
Now it's your turn to practice. Try to answer these questions:
- Look at a packet of milk at home or in the shop. Does it say 'L' or 'mL'? How much does it hold?
- If you have a 1-Litre bottle of water and you drink half of it, how much is left? (Hint: Half of 1000 mL is 500 mL).
- Asha has 3 bottles of water. Each bottle holds 500 mL. Does she have more or less than 1 Litre of water?
You are now a Capacity Expert!
Congratulations! You have learned so much about capacity today. Remember these key things:
- Capacity is how much a container can hold.
- We measure it using Litres (L) for big amounts and Millilitres (mL) for small amounts.
- The magic rule is 1 L = 1000 mL.
Keep looking at the containers around you and guessing their capacity. You are a brilliant mathematician in the making. Keep up the great work!
Habari Mwanafunzi! Let's Dive into the World of Capacity!
Have you ever helped your mum or dad in the kitchen? Maybe you've seen them pouring milk for tea from a packet, or adding water to make ugali. Have you ever wondered how much liquid the packet of milk or the cooking pot can hold? Today, we are going on an exciting journey to learn all about that! This "how much" is what we call Capacity.
Capacity is simply the amount of liquid a container can hold. Think of it like a container's belly – some are small, and some are very big!
The Main Stars: Litres and Millilitres
In Kenya, just like in many other places, we have special units to measure capacity. The two most important ones you need to know are:
- Litre (L): We use litres for bigger amounts of liquid. Imagine the big packet of KCC or Tuzo milk – that is usually 1 Litre!
- Millilitre (mL): We use millilitres for smaller amounts. Think of a small spoon of cough syrup or a bottle of soda.
The most important thing to remember is their relationship. It's like the relationship between a Shilling and cents!
1 Litre is the same as 1000 Millilitres
1 L = 1000 mL
ASCII Diagram: A Big Jug and Small Cups
/=======\
| |
| 1 L | is equal to 1000 tiny cups like this: /=\
| Jug | | |
\_______/ \_/ (1 mL)
> **Image Suggestion:** [A colourful, vibrant illustration of a Kenyan kitchen counter. On the counter, there is a 1-litre KCC milk carton, a 500ml bottle of Fanta, a large 20-litre yellow jerrycan (mtungi) on the floor, and a small teacup. Each item has a label showing its capacity.]Real-World Example: At the shop (duka), you can buy a 500 mL bottle of Coca-Cola. If you buy two of those bottles, you will have 500 mL + 500 mL = 1000 mL. That means you have exactly 1 Litre of soda!
Let's Do Some Maths! Adding and Subtracting Capacity
Now for the fun part – calculations! It’s just like adding and subtracting normal numbers, but we have to be careful with our units (L and mL).
Example 1: Addition
Juma's family buys two packets of milk. One is 1 Litre, and the other is 500 Millilitres. How much milk do they have altogether?
Step 1: Write down what you have.
- 1 Litre
- 500 Millilitres
Step 2: We can write this as 1 L and 500 mL.
Answer: They have 1 L 500 mL of milk.
What if we add 800 mL of juice and 700 mL of juice?
Step 1: Add the millilitres.
800 mL
+ 700 mL
----------
1500 mL
----------
Step 2: Remember, 1000 mL is 1 L. So we can break 1500 mL down.
1500 mL = 1000 mL + 500 mL
= 1 L + 500 mL
Answer: You have 1 L 500 mL of juice.
Example 2: Subtraction
Amina has a 2-litre bottle of water. She drinks 500 mL. How much water is left?
Step 1: We need to subtract 500 mL from 2 L. It's easier if the units are the same! Let's change Litres to Millilitres.
2 L = 2 x 1000 mL = 2000 mL
Step 2: Now subtract.
2000 mL
- 500 mL
-----------
1500 mL
-----------
Step 3: Change the answer back to Litres and Millilitres.
1500 mL = 1 L 500 mL
Answer: Amina has 1 L 500 mL of water left.
A Story from the Village: Mama Akinyi is fetching water from the river with her 20-litre jerrycan (we call it a 'mtungi'). On her way home, she stops to water her small shamba (vegetable garden) and uses 5 litres. When she gets home, she uses another 10 litres for cooking and cleaning. How much water is left for the next day?
Challenge: Can you calculate the answer? (20 L - 5 L - 10 L = ?)
Multiplying and Dividing Capacity
Sometimes we need to multiply or divide amounts of liquid. Imagine you are planning a party!
Example 3: Multiplication
You are making juice for 6 friends. Each friend will get a cup that holds 300 mL. How much juice do you need to make in total?
Step 1: We need to find the total for 6 people.
Capacity per person = 300 mL
Number of people = 6
Step 2: Multiply!
300 mL x 6 = 1800 mL
Step 3: Convert to a friendlier unit (Litres and Millilitres).
1800 mL = 1000 mL + 800 mL
= 1 L + 800 mL
Answer: You need to make 1 L 800 mL of juice.
Let's Practice!
Wow, you're doing great! You are becoming a capacity expert. Here are some quick questions to sharpen your skills:
- What holds more: a 2 L bottle of cooking oil or three 500 mL bottles of soda?
- If a car's fuel tank has a capacity of 40 L and it's half-full, how many litres of petrol are in the tank?
- A recipe for mandazi needs 200 mL of milk. If you want to make a double batch, how much milk do you need?
Remember, looking at labels on containers in your kitchen is a great way to practice. You are a math superstar in the making. Keep practicing and stay curious!
Jambo Mwanafunzi! Let's Explore the World of Capacity!
Have you ever helped your mum or dad pour juice for everyone at a party? How do you make sure everyone gets the same amount? Or have you ever seen a big blue jericani and a small cup and wondered how many cups of water can fill that big jericani? Today, we are going on an exciting adventure to answer these questions! We are going to learn all about Capacity, or as we say in Kiswahili, Ujazo!
Capacity is simply the amount of liquid a container can hold. Think of it as the "tummy size" of a bottle, a cup, or a bucket!
What Holds More? What Holds Less?
Look around you! Everything that can hold a liquid has a capacity. A small bottle of soda has a smaller capacity than a big ndoo (bucket) used for fetching water. An eyedropper for medicine has a very, very tiny capacity!
+-------+
| |
| Soda |
| 500ml | +-----------------+
| | | |
+-------+ | Ndoo |
| (Bucket) |
(Small | 10 L |
Capacity) | |
+-----------------+
(Large Capacity)
The soda bottle holds less water than the bucket. The bucket holds more water than the soda bottle.
Image Suggestion: A vibrant, colorful cartoon illustration of a Kenyan kitchen scene. On a table, there is a small 500ml bottle of Afia juice, a 1-litre packet of KCC milk, a 10-litre plastic bucket (ndoo), and a large 20-litre yellow jericani. Each item is clearly labeled with its capacity. A happy child is pointing at the jericani, looking amazed at its size.
Our Magical Measuring Units: Litres and Millilitres!
To measure capacity properly, we use special units. The two most important ones for us are the Litre (L) and the Millilitre (mL).
- The Litre (L): This is our "big unit". Think about the large box of milk or a big bottle of cooking oil your family buys. That is often 1 Litre or 2 Litres. It's used for measuring larger amounts of liquid.
- The Millilitre (mL): This is our "small unit". It's for tiny amounts. The dose of cough syrup you take is measured in millilitres, maybe 5mL or 10mL.
Here is the most important secret you need to know!
***********************************
* *
* 1 Litre = 1000 Millilitres *
* (1 L = 1000 mL) *
* *
***********************************
That means you would need 1000 tiny millilitre drops to fill up one whole litre container! Wow!
Let's Do Some Capacity Maths! (Tufanye Hesabu!)
Now that we are experts, let's solve some problems. It's easy and fun!
Example 1: Adding Capacity
Amina drinks a 300 mL packet of juice. Her brother Ali drinks a 200 mL packet of juice. How much juice did they drink altogether?
We just need to add the two amounts together!
Step 1: Write down the amounts.
Amina's juice: 300 mL
Ali's juice: + 200 mL
-----------------------
Step 2: Add them up.
Total juice: 500 mL
-----------------------
Answer: They drank 500 mL of juice altogether. Nzuri sana!
Example 2: Subtracting Capacity
Mama had a 1 Litre bottle of water. She used 400 mL to cook her ugali. How much water is left?
First, we must make the units the same! We know 1 L = 1000 mL.
Step 1: Convert Litres to Millilitres.
1 L = 1000 mL
Step 2: Write down the calculation.
Water at start: 1000 mL
Water used: - 400 mL
-------------------------
Step 3: Subtract.
Water left: 600 mL
-------------------------
Answer: There is 600 mL of water left in the bottle. Umefanya vizuri!
Fun Activity: Be a Capacity Detective at Home!
Let's do a fun experiment. You don't need a ruler, just your eyes and some containers!
- Step 1: Find three different empty containers in your home. For example, a teacup (kikombe), a plastic bottle, and a small cooking pot (sufuria).
- Step 2: Look at them and make a guess (estimate). Which one do you think holds the most water? Which one holds the least?
- Step 3: Now, let's test it! Take the smallest container (the teacup) and use it to fill the others. Count how many full teacups it takes to fill the plastic bottle.
- Step 4: Count how many full teacups it takes to fill the sufuria. Was your guess correct?
This activity helps you understand how to compare capacities even without standard measuring tools!
Image Suggestion: A realistic, bright photo of a Kenyan child (around 8 years old) in their backyard, happily doing the "Capacity Detective" activity. They are pouring water from a small colourful cup into a larger clear plastic bottle. A sufuria and a jug are nearby. The scene is full of joy and curiosity.
Real-Life Capacity Story
Mzee Baraka is a farmer in Makueni. Every morning, he waters his young mango trees. His watering can holds 10 Litres of water. He has 5 small trees, and each tree needs 2 Litres of water to be happy and grow strong. How many times does Mzee Baraka need to fill his watering can? He calculates: 5 trees x 2 Litres = 10 Litres. Aha! He only needs to fill his big watering can one time! By understanding capacity, Mzee Baraka saves time and gives his trees just the right amount of water.
You see? Capacity is all around us, from the kitchen to the shamba (farm)! Keep your eyes open and you will see it everywhere.
Well done today, you are now a Capacity Champion!
Pro Tip
Take your own short notes while going through the topics.
