Trying to teach measuring capacity in an interesting way, I hit on an idea that had my Year 4 pupils buzzing for two weeks, not only in the initial numeracy lesson, but in the follow-up literacy lessons.
I asked them in groups to make up a recipe for a mixed fruit drink. They had to measure out carefully in millilitres their own chosen amounts from six different flavours and record their recipe and give it a name. They sampled each other’s drinks and swapped recipes to reproduce exactly the drink they liked best.
I then linked this to persuasive writing and asked each group to produce flyers, posters and a radio advert for their drink. Each group produced the flyers using WordArt and clip-art from internet sites. The children were so enthusiastic that they brought in empty cartons and bottles to cover with their own labels, which led to measuring in length and making nets of cartons.
One enterprising group thought of offering a prize of a tropical holiday to persuade people to buy their drink, and hid a golden palm tree underneath the cap of the carton.
We also followed up with geography to discover where some of the exotic fruits were grown, and music to accompany the jingles they had made up for the radio advertisements.
Chris Stokes, ICT co-ordinator, StBartholomew’s CE Primary School, Wootton Bassett, Swindon
