Volume

=Volume=


 * First, I think it's important for students to do some sort of activity that helps them understand why the formulas for a cylinder and prism are the area of the base multiplied by the height of the (prism/cylinder). We have a set of clear plastic geosolids. With the rectangular prism, you can fill the bottom layer with cm cubes, and then have students see how many layers of those cubes it would take to fill the prism. For a "real life context" this year I bought a bag of jellybeans and had students try to estimate the number of jellybeans that would be in a cylinder. We filled the cylinder just enough to cover the bottom of it, and counted those jellybeans. Then we measured how many layers of jellybeans would fit in and multiplied by the number in the bottom layer.


 * The same solids work great for moving to volume of pyramids and cones by using rice or sand to have students compare the volume of a cone and cylinder (and a pyramid and a prism) with the same base and height.


 * This idea is modified from the Cooperative Learning and High School Geometry book by Becky Bride, and I think it's a perfect fit for calculating the volume of prisms, pyramids, cylinders, and cones. It is a "Simultaneous Round Table" activity. Each student starts with a drawing of a different figure (they could all be prisms, or could be a mixture if this is a summary activity). Each person sketches the figure at the base and identifies the dimensions necessary for calculating the area of the base. After everyone has finished, they pass their paper to the next person and calculates the area of that base. After everyone has finished, they pass their paper to the next person. That person checks the calculations for area of the base (and discusses/corrects if necessary). Then they pass the paper again and calculate the volume. After everyone has finished, they pass their paper to the next person and they check the volume calculation. (note- when I did this in class I decided to have everyone work on the same problem at the same time, but still pass their paper- worked pretty well and students got to do one of each type).
 * Volume of Composite Figures- this is an extension activity for volume of prisms and cylinders- first pages are just a review, but page 6 of the pdf has two composite figures to find the volume of.

- Can be changed to take out "Walkersville" and "Royal" of course :) Basically it's a cake with three layers...one cylinder, one square prism, and one triangular prism. I had students calculate the volume of the whole cake, and determine how many people it would serve. The extension question is to design a cake that would be able to serve all of the students at the school.

- Activity for Pi Day that compares slices of cake from a round cake pan and a rectangular cake pan