Distribute five sheets of construction paper, ruler, a pair of scissors, markers and glue or tape to each student. Instruct children to write the words "Gallon Man" in the center of one sheet.
Divide the second sheet of construction paper into four equal sections, using the ruler. Direct children to write "Quart" on each section and cut them apart.
Fold and cut the third sheet into eight equal sections, and label each piece, "Pint." Glue or tape two pint sections together and attach each pint pair to the bottom of a quart section.
Divide the fourth page into 16 parts and label each one, "Cup." Fold and cut out each part. Attach two cups to the bottom of each pint with glue or tape. This completes the arms and legs of the gallon man.
Draw or trace a pattern for hands, feet and a head on the final sheet of construction paper. Tell students to write their name on the back of the head before attaching the head to the top of the sheet labeled "Gallon Man." Glue or tape the hands and feet to the cup sections and adhere each measurement appendage in the arm and leg positions to the gallon body. Allow children to decorate their project with markers.
Explain to students that capacity is a way of saying how much something can hold. Ask children to look at their gallon man posters and identify which measurement unit is smallest. Hold out a 1-cup clear container and fill it with fruit juice.
Ask students what is slightly larger than a cup, and how many cups fit into a pint. Fill a second cup container with juice and pour both cups into a pint clear container. Instruct students to count how many pints are on gallon man. Fill the remaining cups and empty into seven pint containers.
Tell children to find out what unit a pint will fit inside and ask students to count how many quarts are on gallon man. Set out four clear quart containers and pour the pints of juice into each one.
Ask students what measurement unit the quarts are connected to on gallon man, and give students an opportunity to name examples of what common goods are typically measured in gallon amounts, such as milk and gasoline. Set out a clear gallon container and empty all four quarts into it.
Reverse the process by pouring the gallon back into the quarts, dividing the quarts into the pint containers and separating the pints into the cups. This will help students understand that capacity units hold a constant amount, just as 2 + 2 will always be four.