#3636. Investigating Volume

Mathematics, level: Elementary
Posted Tue Jan 31 18:36:28 PST 2006 by Erin Coy (erincoy@msn.com).
Dacusville Elementary School, Easley, South Carolina USA
Activity Time: 45 minutes
Concepts Taught: Measurement/Spacial/Geometry

Objectives:
•The students will be able to record and measure volume.
•The students will be able to use appropriate units and procedures to calculate volume.
•The students will use one-inch cubes to calculate volume.

Aligned with South Carolina Mathematics Standards: Grade 5
Measurement Strand
•II.E.1
•II.B.1
•I.D.1

Materials:
•One-inch cubes
•Several different size household boxes (rectangular). (examples: cereal boxes, tea bag boxes, saltine cracker boxes)
•Pencil
•Paper
•Worksheet (Questions for students to follow) - See Questions Below.

Before the Lesson:
•Review Vocabulary
oVolume
oCubic Inch

Procedure:
•Pair students up or have them work individually.
•Distribute each pair or individual two different size boxes.
•Have the students use the one-inch cubes to measure volume.
•Students will work through the questions on the worksheet provided.

Extension:
•Have much bigger boxes for students to use to calculate the volume. (Students should understand that in order to calculate volume of a rectangle can be figured by multiplying base x height.

Worksheet: Investigating Volume

1)Fill up one box with the wooden, one-inch cubes.

2)How many one-inch cubes make up the length?

3)How many one-inch cubes make up the width?

4)How many one-inch cubes make up the height?

5)Count the number of cubes it takes to fill the box.
Write down the total amount of cubes.

6)Write the formula for finding volume.
V = L x W x H (Volume = Length x Width x Height)

7)Measure (in inches) the length, width, and height of the box.

8)Multiply the length by the width by the height.

9)What is your answer for the volume of the box?

10) Is your answer to #5 the same as your answer to #9?

11) Does this mean the volume is the amount of cubes it takes to fill the box?

12) Be sure and write your answer in cubic inches or inches3.

13) Look up the definition of volume and write it down.