University of Houston
Volume for Rectangular Prisms
Upper graders define perimeter and area of a rectangle, estimate numbers of cubes and determine the maximum amount that will fit in a given space. In this math lesson, pupils complete related worksheet, build prisms and find volume and...
Virginia Department of Education
Exploring 3-D Geometry
Take young mathematicians on an exploration of the world of 3-D geometry with this seven-lesson unit. After first defining the terms perimeter, area, and volume and how they apply to the real world, students continue on...
Virginia Department of Education
Surface Area and Volume
Partners use materials to wrap three-dimensional objects to determine the formula for surface area. The groups use an orange to calculate the amount of peel it takes to completely cover the fruit. Using manipulatives, individuals then...
Teach Engineering
Boxed In and Wrapped Up
If cubes have the smallest surface area, why aren't there more cube-shaped packages? Scholars take a box in the shape of a rectangular prism, cut it up, and make new boxes in the shape of cubes with the same volume. They then brainstorm...
EngageNY
The Volume of a Right Prism II
Discover the difference between the capacity of a container and its volume. The 25th part of a 28-part series presents problems that require pupils to determine the amount of liquid a prism can hold. Learners must take into account the...
EngageNY
The Volume of a Right Prism
Does the volume formula work even if the measurements are not whole numbers? Class members work simple problems to find that the formula (area of the base) × (height) works for all prisms, independent of measurements and shape.
EngageNY
Volume and Surface Area
The 26th part of a 28-part series requires pupils to determine whether the answer to a problem requires surface area or volume. The class works problems about fish tanks that prompt individuals to decide, based on the question, which...
EngageNY
Volume of Composite Three-Dimensional Objects
Most objects have irregular dimensions — you have to find them! Teach your class how to find the volume of composite objects that can be decomposed into prisms. Objects get increasingly more complex as the lesson progresses.
EngageNY
The Volume of Prisms and Cylinders and Cavalieri’s Principle
Young mathematicians examine area of different figures with the same cross-sectional lengths and work up to volumes of 3D figures with the same cross-sectional areas. The instruction and the exercises stress that the two...
EngageNY
Volume of Right Prisms
Apply volume and area formulas to find the volume of any right prism. The 26th lesson of a 29-part module examines methods for finding the volume of right prisms with varying shapes of bases. Learners use the formula V = Bh to find...
EngageNY
Volume and Surface Area II
Determine the cost of projects based on volume or surface area. Pupils work problems to determine the cost of building a brick planter and a stainless steel feeder in the 27th installment of a 28-part series. Participants must consider...
EngageNY
Real-World Volume Problems
How long does it take to fill a typical swimming pool? Prepare your pupils to answer similar questions using the 28th lesson in the 29-part module. The engaging lesson asks individuals to solve problems connected to the flow rate. All...
Radford University
Surface Area and Volume
Who knew there were pyramids in China? Learners apply surface area and volume formulas to several different real-world situations. They calculate the volume and surface area of an aquarium, an ice cream cone, and Egyptian and Chinese...
Illustrative Mathematics
Computing Volume Progression 4
This resource was written for the younger math learner, but finding the volume of an irregular solid is also a problem for algebra and geometry students. Based on Archimedes’ Principle, one can calculate the volume of a stone by...
101 Questions
Building Boxes
Build foundational knowledge of volume by building boxes. Given dimensions for a piece of grid paper, young mathematicians determine the number of possible open-top boxes it will make. As part of this task, they also find the box with...
Teach Engineering
Build the Biggest Box
Boxing takes on a whole new meaning! The second installment of the three-part series has groups create lidless boxes from construction paper that can hold the most rice. After testing out their constructions, they build a new box....
Radford University
How Do I Design a Raised Bed Garden to Accommodate My Plants?
Give plants the best place to grow. Given constraints on plant spacing, pupils design a raised bed garden using graph paper, then calculate the perimeter, surface area, and volume. They use the provided costs of lumber and soil to...
Illustrative Mathematics
Christo’s Building
Hook your charges on how to solve a real-world art problem with mathematics by showing works of Christo. You can find eye-catching images on the Christo and Jeanne Claude webpage. Here, math learners help Jean Claude and Christo prepare...
Virginia Department of Education
Similar Solids and Proportional Reasoning
Double the dimensions, quadruple the surface area. Pairs build similar prisms and compare the ratios of their surface areas and volumes to the ratio of the heights. Given two similar cones, partners determine the ratios of the lateral...
Illustrative Mathematics
Computing Volume Progression 2
Once your geometers know how to apply the formula V = l w h, they will be ready to take on the fractional volume of a fish tank. Have your number crunchers swap heights so they can see that the fractional volume will not change.
Radford University
Alpaca Lunch
Feed the need for knowledge. Future mathematicians first consider how the lateral area of a rectangular prism relates to its volume. They then design a container for alpaca food that has the maximum volume possible from a given sheet of...
Teach Engineering
Determining Densities
Don't be dense—use a robust resource. The second installment of a five-part Floaters and Sinkers unit has learners determine the densities of several objects. As part of the activity, they learn the displacement method for finding...
Curated OER
A4 Containers
Fifth graders determine which container made from a single sheet of paper has the greatest volume. They look the solutions made by three different students before working on their own examples.