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...
Curated OER
Surface Area of Pyramids
Students identify the surface area of pyramids and other polygons. For this geometry lesson, students find the different measurements for the different parts of a polygon. They use the surface area formula to solve for the surface...
Curated OER
Scale Factor- Surface Area and Volume
Young scholars calculate the surface area and volume of shapes. For this geometry lesson, students create different scales and calculate the volume and area for each shape. They compare and contrast between the different scales and shapes.
Curated OER
Surface Area of Cones
Students find the surface area of cones. In this geometry lesson, students calculate the dimensions of each three-dimensional shape and use the correct formula to solve the problem. They relate concepts of cones to the real world.
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.
Curated OER
Perimeter and Area of Similar Figures
Students 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
Investigation-On the Surface
Students compute the surface area of 3 geometric solids to determine the shape of package that would require the least amount of paper to wrap. In this geometry activity, students work on a two-question assessment embedded in the plan....
Curated OER
Geometry Institute Lesson
Students practice geometry skills. In this geometry lesson, students find the surface area of cubes and prisms, identify shapes on solids, and distinguish between 2-dimensional objects and solids.
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
NetsS.A. of Prisms
Students build nets of three-dimensional prisms based on the dimensions they are given for hexagonal prism, triangular prism, rectangular prism. Working in groups, they use their prisms and calculate the Surface Area and Lateral Area.
Curated OER
Soak It Up
Students 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
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 -...
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...
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
Area, Surface, and Volume
Ninth graders demonstrate application of area, surface, and volume. They apply formulas to a model of the classroom so they can determine the volume and surface area of the classroom.
Curated OER
Chemical Reaction Rates
Students observe demonstrations to show factors that affect rates of chemical reactions. In this rates of chemical reactions lesson, students investigate how catalysts, reactant concentrations, temperature and surface area affect the...
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...
Nuffield Foundation
Effect of Size on Uptake by Diffusion
Cell size is limited by the surface area to volume ratio, but why is this true? Scholars measure the surface area and volume of cubes before placing them into liquid. After a set amount of time, they measure the uptake by diffusion for...
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...
Curated OER
The Surface Area of a Cylinder
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Volume & Candy Creations Model
Sixth graders investigate surface area. In this surface area lesson, 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. ...
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...
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...