Students find the volume and surface area of a rectangular box (e.g., a cereal box), and then figure out how to convert that box into a new, cubical box having the same volume as the original. As they construct the new, cube-shaped box from the original box material, students discover that the cubical box has less surface area than the original, and thus, a cube is a more efficient way to package things. Students then consider why consumer goods generally aren't packaged in cube-shaped boxes, even though they would require less material to produce and ultimately, less waste to discard. To display their findings, each student designs and constructs a mobile that contains a duplicate of his or her original box, the new cube-shaped box of the same volume, the scraps that are left over from the original box, and pertinent calculations of the volumes and surface areas involved. The activities involved provide valuable experience in problem solving with spatial-visual relationships.

To display the results from the previous activity, each student designs and constructs a mobile that contains a duplicate of his or her original box, the new cube-shaped box of the same volume, the scraps that are left over from the original box, and pertinent calculations of the volumes and surface areas involved. They problem solve and apply their understanding of see-saws and lever systems to create balanced mobiles.

Students find the volume and surface area of a rectangular box (e.g., a cereal box), and then figure out how to convert that box into a new, cubical box having the same volume as the original. As they construct the new, cube-shaped box from the original box material, students discover that the cubical box has less surface area than the original, and thus, a cube is a more efficient way to package things.

In this assessment task students will become construction engineers and build three-dimensional shapes out of straws, twist ties, paper clips, toothpicks and other supplies. An assessment task sheet and rubric are provided.

This lesson is from Tools 4 NC Teachers. In this lesson students explore the meaning of volume, explore the properties of rectangular prisms, and develop their own way of finding volume. This is remixable.

This lesson is from Tools 4 NC Teachers. Students explore volume and determine the size (volume) of various boxes. This is remixable.

This task is from Tools 4 NC Teachers. Students build and explore volume as they build boxes and rectangular prisms.

This task is from Tools 4 NC Teachers. Students build a rectangular prism with cubes then trade with their partner and find the volume of their partner's prism. This is remixable.