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...
Curated OER
How To Measure Area
Geometers learn how to measure the area in square units. They use the floor in the classroom as a visual to measure a square foot area. They use classmates to fill the space and expand the measured area square foot by square foot until...
Curated OER
Aqua-Thrusters!
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 -...
Santa Monica College
Introducing Measurements in the Laboratory
We use basic units of measurement to break down things and communicate clearly. The first lesson in an 11-part series teaches the proper way to measure various items. It starts simply with measuring the dimensions and areas of geometric...
Curated OER
Nets, Surface Area and Volume
Students calculate the surface area and volume of a sphere. In 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.
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: Test Your Skills
Time to find out what they've learned! The final lesson of a five-part series has learners complete a 39-question multiple choice review. They use what they've learned in the previous lessons to complete questions that include concepts...
Purdue University
Plastic Water Bottle Design – What’s the Best Shape?
Join the fight to reduce plastic waste. A hands-on STEM activity first teaches scholars about the scourge of plastic waste. They then measure the dimensions of water bottles to calculate surface areas and volumes before using the surface...
Radford University
Fun with Solids
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...
Curated OER
Perimeter and Area of Similar Figures
Learners determine the relationship between perimeter, circumference, area, surface area, and/or volume of similar figures and their parts. They complete activities related to the question. Answer key included.
Curated OER
Length, Perimeter, and Area
Students explore the concepts of length, perimeter, and area. In this math lesson, students use Shape Explorer to practice finding length, perimeter, and area.
Curated OER
Soak It Up
Learners role play where they assume the role of business executives who must decide which of three prototypes of paper towels would be the best buy for consumers. Students compare three products to determine the best value by using...
Curated OER
Using Vegetation, Precipitation, and Surface Temperature to Study Climate Zones
Using NASA's Live Access Server, earth scientists compare the temperature, precipitation, and normalized difference vegetation index for four different locations. They use the data to identify the climate zone of each location using...
Cornell University
Scaling Down: Effects of Size on Behavior
Two activities explore the concept of size, especially small sizes down to the nano. Scholars practice determining volume, mass, and density and calculate exponential increases and decreases. They then predict and test the effect of size...
Curated OER
Color Your World
Students calculate the cost of painting a room. In this surface area lesson, students create a scale model from provided dimensions of a bedroom. Groups use area formulas to find square footage, from which materials and labor costs are...
Curated OER
Chemical Reaction Rates
High schoolers observe demonstrations to show factors that affect rates of chemical reactions. For this rates of chemical reactions lesson, students investigate how catalysts, reactant concentrations, temperature and surface area affect...
Virginia Department of Education
The Rate of a Chemical Reaction
If your pupils think a catalyst is a list of their cats, then this might be the lesson for you! Young chemists study the effect of temperature, catalysts, concentration, and particle size on reaction rates during four different...
Teach Engineering
Surface Tension Basics
Back to the basics (of surface tension). The first installment of a nine-part series teaches young scholars about the basics of surface tension and how it relates to water droplets. They also learn how this concept allows for the...
Teach Engineering
Surface Tension Lab
What constitutes a good soap bubble? In the second installment of a nine-part series, scholars apply their understanding of surface tension to soap bubbles. They experiment to determine the best solutions to use for the...
Teach Engineering
Discovering Relationships Between Side Length and Area
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...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Evaluating Statements About Enlargements
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...
Bowland
Mission: Rainforest
Young environmentally conscious mathematicians solve a variety of problems related to the central theme of uncovering illegal logging activities. They determine a base camp based on given constraints, investigate logging activities and...
Curated OER
The Surface Area of a Cylinder
Students find the circumference and diameter of several circles and calculate the surface area of cylinders. In this surface area of a cylinder lesson plan, students use rectangles and lids to make several cylinders. They calculate the...
Curated OER
Volume & Candy Creations Model
Sixth graders investigate surface area. In this surface area instructional activity, 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. ...
Shodor Education Foundation
InteGreat
Hands-on investigation of Riemann sums becomes possible without intensive arithmetic gymnastics with this interactive lesson plan. Learners manipulate online graphing tools to develop and test theories about right, left, and midpoint...