- Definition
Capacity is how much a container can hold, like how much water a bottle can fit.
A bathtub has a larger capacity than a sink because it can hold more water.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Capacity is like how much juice your cup can hold before it spills over the top.
Ask your child: Which of these two cups do you think holds more?
Common mix-up: Kids often think a tall glass holds more than a short one. Capacity is about how much a container holds in total, not just how tall it is.
Examples
- A juice box has a smaller capacity than a milk jug.
- A small sand pail has less capacity than a big bucket.
capacity is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Kindergarten Kindergarten
- Grade 1 Mathematics
- Grade 3 Mathematics
- Grade 4 Mathematics
- Grade 5 Mathematics
- Grade 6 Mathematics
+1 more mention across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
