Do your kids struggle, trying to remember how many cups, pints and quarts are in a gallon? Are you sometimes stymied when trying to figure out how many cups are in a half-gallon?
If you are confused as a parent, how frustrating must it be for your child? Try this successful visual memory tip for learning liquid measurement. By drawing a picture, and adding a story; this confusing concept takes on meaning by association and is easily remembered.
Materials:
Read the story aloud as you and your child draw the illustration. Go to the end of this article to find the link to the drawing.
Long ago, there was a kingdom called "Gallon". It was a very large kingdom. Since "Gallon" starts with the letter "G", draw a very large "G" filling the entire paper. (Draw along with your child to model the lesson. Ask child to tell you what the "G" represents.) Show an actual sample of a gallon container.
In the Kingdom of Gallon lived four Queens. What letter does "Queen" begin with? "Q" stands for "Queen" and also for "Quarts" because there are four quarts in a gallon. Draw 4 large "Q"s on your paper. (Show a quart size container.) (Make sure the connection is made between the Queens and Quarts.)
Each Queen had a Prince and a Princess. The Prince and Princess represent the number of Pints in a Quart. Draw the 2 "P's" inside each Quart. (Show a pint-size container.) (Remind child of the connection between Prince and Princess and Pints.)
Cats were very popular in this kingdom. So each Prince had 2 Cats. The "C" is for Cats and for Cups. Each Princess also had 2 Cats, so that makes 4 cats in the Queen's castle and 4 Cups in a Quart. (Draw 2 "C's" inside each "P.") (Display the Cup measurement.)
Later, there was a big disagreement in the Kingdom of Gallon, so they had to divide it into two Half-Gallon Kingdoms. Notice the dividing line of the "G" that represents the two half-gallon kingdoms?) (Show the half-gallon container.)
This is an easy way for students to remember and understand liquid measurement. Making associations and drawing a picture stores the information in long-term memory. This memory method also meets the needs of each of the 3 learning styles.
Visual Learners remember by seeing the image in their head. By drawing the images it locks into long-term memory. Audio Learners are good listeners and will re-tell the story. Each time the story is told, they hear the associations and remember. Kinesthetic Learners need to participate by touching the props and finding them on the drawing. They remember the story easily and talk about it with friends.
Memory techniques provide children with the tools for remembering almost anything. I bet you remember learning this rhyme: "In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." That date is embedded in your long-term memory all because of a simple little rhyme. Rhymes, stories and pictures are powerful memory tools.
Take this challenge. Begin looking for creative memory tips to use with your children in all subjects. And even better than that, teach your children how to think of their own stories or rhymes or pictures to help in spelling, math, social studies, science; actually all subjects. It's fun and our brain can always use a little help to recall important facts. Give it a try!
Link to Kingdom of Gallon drawing.
Donnalyn Yates has a Masters in Education and is a popular educational consultant and speaker at conventions on memory techniques in education. She is the author of Memory Tips for Math and has developed several highly successful memory products (including addition/subtraction and multiplication/division learning systems plus memorizing states and capitals.) http://memoryjoggers.com
By Donnalyn Yates
If you are confused as a parent, how frustrating must it be for your child? Try this successful visual memory tip for learning liquid measurement. By drawing a picture, and adding a story; this confusing concept takes on meaning by association and is easily remembered.
Materials:
- 8.5" x 11" sheet of unlined paper
- Black marker, crayon or pencil
- Gallon container (optional)
- Half-gallon container (optional)
- Quart container (optional)
- Pint container (optional)
- Measuring cup (optional)
- The Kingdom of Gallon
Read the story aloud as you and your child draw the illustration. Go to the end of this article to find the link to the drawing.
Long ago, there was a kingdom called "Gallon". It was a very large kingdom. Since "Gallon" starts with the letter "G", draw a very large "G" filling the entire paper. (Draw along with your child to model the lesson. Ask child to tell you what the "G" represents.) Show an actual sample of a gallon container.
In the Kingdom of Gallon lived four Queens. What letter does "Queen" begin with? "Q" stands for "Queen" and also for "Quarts" because there are four quarts in a gallon. Draw 4 large "Q"s on your paper. (Show a quart size container.) (Make sure the connection is made between the Queens and Quarts.)
Each Queen had a Prince and a Princess. The Prince and Princess represent the number of Pints in a Quart. Draw the 2 "P's" inside each Quart. (Show a pint-size container.) (Remind child of the connection between Prince and Princess and Pints.)
Cats were very popular in this kingdom. So each Prince had 2 Cats. The "C" is for Cats and for Cups. Each Princess also had 2 Cats, so that makes 4 cats in the Queen's castle and 4 Cups in a Quart. (Draw 2 "C's" inside each "P.") (Display the Cup measurement.)
Later, there was a big disagreement in the Kingdom of Gallon, so they had to divide it into two Half-Gallon Kingdoms. Notice the dividing line of the "G" that represents the two half-gallon kingdoms?) (Show the half-gallon container.)
This is an easy way for students to remember and understand liquid measurement. Making associations and drawing a picture stores the information in long-term memory. This memory method also meets the needs of each of the 3 learning styles.
Visual Learners remember by seeing the image in their head. By drawing the images it locks into long-term memory. Audio Learners are good listeners and will re-tell the story. Each time the story is told, they hear the associations and remember. Kinesthetic Learners need to participate by touching the props and finding them on the drawing. They remember the story easily and talk about it with friends.
Memory techniques provide children with the tools for remembering almost anything. I bet you remember learning this rhyme: "In fourteen hundred and ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." That date is embedded in your long-term memory all because of a simple little rhyme. Rhymes, stories and pictures are powerful memory tools.
Take this challenge. Begin looking for creative memory tips to use with your children in all subjects. And even better than that, teach your children how to think of their own stories or rhymes or pictures to help in spelling, math, social studies, science; actually all subjects. It's fun and our brain can always use a little help to recall important facts. Give it a try!
Link to Kingdom of Gallon drawing.
Donnalyn Yates has a Masters in Education and is a popular educational consultant and speaker at conventions on memory techniques in education. She is the author of Memory Tips for Math and has developed several highly successful memory products (including addition/subtraction and multiplication/division learning systems plus memorizing states and capitals.) http://memoryjoggers.com
By Donnalyn Yates
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