Bennie the Bear lines up cups and spoons on the counter. Each one has a number on it.
"These are our measuring tools," he says. "Each one holds a different amount."
Ferris picks up the smallest cup. "What do you notice? It says one fourth."
Riley stacks the cups inside each other. "Here is a hint," he says. "Look at the sizes."
Dry measuring cups are for dry food, like oats, rice or sugar.
A liquid measuring cup is for liquids, like water. It has lines up the side.
Measuring spoons are for small amounts, like a pinch of cinnamon.
Using the wrong kind of cup is a common way to measure wrong.
| Tool | What it measures | Sizes in a set |
|---|---|---|
| Dry measuring cups | Dry food, like oats | 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/4 cup |
| Liquid measuring cup | Liquids, like water | One cup with lines for each amount |
| Measuring spoons | Small amounts | 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon |
Imagine one whole cup split into 4 equal parts.
One of those parts is one fourth of a cup. We write it 1/4.
The bottom number tells how many equal parts make the whole.
The top number tells how many parts you have.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| Oats go in a dry measuring cup. | ? |
| Water goes in a dry measuring cup. | ? |
| 1/4 cup is one of 4 equal parts of a cup. | ? |
| A measuring spoon is for big amounts. | ? |
Great measuring, cook! Tomorrow Bennie shows you how the cups fit together.