Most Year 6 students know that 1 L = 1000 mL. Ask them to write 45 mL in litres, though, and plenty will write 0.45 L. This resource gives them lots of practice with that kind of conversion, mostly with a paper chatterbox in their hands.

How it runs

Two lessons of 45–60 minutes. Lesson 1 teaches converting with a place-value chart. The thousandths column is what shows students that 45 mL is 0.045 L. They practise, then compare and order capacities in different units, such as 0.8 L, 1250 mL and 950 mL.

In Lesson 2 students follow the illustrated folding steps and play the Beginner or Intermediate chatterbox with a partner. Model the folding with a big square of paper first. The printing has to face down for the first fold, and that's the step students get wrong. Then they check the detectives' answers, make a chatterbox, solve the Case of the Mixed-up Juice Labels and work out whether the bigger bottle is the cheaper buy in the party drinks task.