In this geometry lesson on cylinders, geometers explore how to find the smallest surface area for a given volume.  They use their knowledge to relate it to the real world by making a model of a livestock tank.

This lesson will make an impact, especially on scientist-athletes who may have an interest in waterproof clothing! Acting as materials engineers, they work collaboratively on waterproofing pieces of cotton fabric. This challenge is...

Discover a world too small to see. In the instructional activity, young scientists learn about nanotechnology and brainstorm ideas for new applications of it. They perform an activity to determine how surface area changes when objects...

Be sure to use this sweet resource. Scholars perform an experiment using sugar to investigate how surface area relates to the coarseness of sugar. They consider how this concept connects to nanotechnology.

While the lesson focuses on right triangles, this activity offers a great way to practice the area of all triangles through an interactive webpage. The activity begins with the class taking a square paper and cutting in in half; can they...

Students explore the volume and surface area of three dimensional figures. Through the use of video, students discover three dimensional shapes, their uses in real-life applications, and methods used to calculate their volume and surface...

Students comprehend the meaning of "pixel." They recognize patterns using pixels. Students observe how land use can be determined from a pixel. They measure off a 30 x 30-meter area to show the size of the surface area of one pixel....

Students calculate the surface area of prisms. In this geometry lesson plan, students investigate the properties of prisms and analyze ways to calculate the are of a rectangular prism. They derive the formula for surface area.

You and your class will like this lesson on using visual models to relate the volume and surface area of solid shapes. Learners construct three-dimensional forms using nets. They calculate the surface area and volume for each and then...

Learners find the surface area and volume of the solid figures by measuring the length and the height of each face and base. They use concrete models to derive formulas for finding perimeter, circumference, area, surface area, and volume...

Introduce high schoolers to chemical reactions with this series of activities. In a little over an hour, scientists observe four gas-producing reactions: the combination of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide, placing pasta in...

With this interactive lesson, learners compute the surface area of rectangular prisms. They visit an online investigation applet and record data on the provided handout. Pair this lesson with the volume lesson by the same publisher as an...

Students complete experiments to determine how rocket fuel is affected by surface area and temperature. They compare the reaction rates of antacid tablets. They discuss their results to complete the lesson plan.

Explore the connection of surface area to bonding within atoms. Learners complete lab investigations to model changing surface area with different sizes and concentrations of atoms. A flour fireball demonstration follows the labs to...

The title says it all: Could King Kong exist? Investigate how increasing the dimensions of an object affects its surface area and volume to mathematically conclude whether a creature with the weight and height of King Kong could actually...

Weathering is not necessarily a result of the weather. Scholars conduct an experiment to explore the effect of surface area and volume on the weathering process. They create their own sugar cube rocks using the same number of cubes—but...

Students construct their own rocket-powered boat called an "aqua-thruster." These aqua-thrusters will be made from a film canister and will use carbon dioxide gas - produced from a chemical reaction between an antacid tablet and water -...

Students calculate the surface area and volume of a sphere. For this geometry lesson, students define nets, surface areas and volume of prisms, pyramids, cylinders and cones. They use the computer to create nets and analyze shapes.

Geometry is all around us—if we're only willing to look. The final three activities of the Fun with Solids unit continue work on surface area and volume. For lesson three, scholars investigate the formulas for spheres and solve a problem...

Consider the relationship between side length and area as an input-output function. Scholars create input-output tables for the area of squares to determine an equation in the first installment of a three-part unit. Ditto for the area of...

Double, toil ,and double linear dimensions. Learners first complete an assessment investigating how doubling linear dimensions affects the area of pizzas and the volume of popcorn containers. They then complete an activity investigating...

Sixth graders investigate surface area.  In this surface area lesson, 6th graders design a box of candy that has a volume of 30 cubic inches.  Students are trying to minimize surface area while keeping volume constant. ...

Students examine the surface area to volume ratio and how they relate.  In this surface area activity students complete several activities.

Students measure the rate of diffusion and to calculate the surface area to volume ratios of varying cell sizes. The lesson plan is very clearly organized with a useful student worksheet provided. They perform a lab experiment which is...