a large number of 1-inch cubes made of wood or plastic
a collection of different-size rectangular household boxes (examples: cereal boxes, tea bag boxes, saltine cracker boxes…)
rulers
pencil and paper
work sheet (text of work sheet provided in The Lesson section below); alternatively, the instructions/questions could be posted on chart paper or a transparency for all to see/follow
The Lesson
For this lesson, you might pair up students or they can work individually.
Distribute to each student or student-pair two different-sized boxes. The boxes should be fairly manageable in size, since students are going to fill them with 1-inch cubes.
It might be a good idea to number the boxes and to create a master answer key that has on it each box number and its volume.
Have students use the 1-inch cubes to measure volume. Provide each student with a work sheet with the instructions and questions below on it (or post the text below on chart paper or a transparency and have students respond on paper). The work sheet will lead students to "discover" the meaning of volume.
Work Sheet Text
Investigating Volume
Fill up one box with the 1-inch cubes.
How many 1-inch cubes does it take to fill up/make up the length of the box? _____
How many 1-inch cubes does it take to fill up/make up the width of the box? _____
How many 1-inch cubes does it take to fill up/make up the height of the box? _____
Count the number of 1-inch cubes it takes to fill the box. Write down the total number of cubes. _____
Write this formula for finding volume:
V = L x W x H
(Volume = Length x Width x Height)
Use a ruler to measure (in inches) the length, width, and height of the box.
Multiply the length by the width by the height.
What is your answer for the volume of the box? _____
Is your answer to #5 the same as your answer to #9? _____
Does that mean the volume is the amount of cubes it takes to fill a box? _____
Look up the definition of volume in a dictionary and write it down.
Introduce students to the way of writing volume. For example a box that is 4 inches wide, 6 inches long, and 2 inches
high has a volume of...
4 x 6 x 2 = 48 cubic inches or 48 in.3
At the end of the lesson, review the vocabulary volume and cubic inch to be certain students understand them.
Extension Activity
Now that students know how to figure the volume of a container without manually placing 1-inch cubes in it, provide much bigger boxes for students to use as they calculate volume. They can use 1-inch cubes or rulers to do that. Observe that they are able to correctly calculate the volume of those boxes.
Assessment
Informally observe students for understanding throughout the lesson. Collect worksheets for a possible grade. Grade students as they figure volume in the extension activity.
Submitted By
Submitted by Erin Coy, Dacusville Elementary School in Easley, South Carolina
Investigating Volume
