My fourth grade class has been exploring a measurement unit for the past few weeks. We’ve been discussing the difference between area and volume. This has been a bit challenging as many students can apply area and volume formulas but struggle when finding surface area. Students were confusing area and volume and weren’t sure when to use a specific formula. The idea of area being squared and volume cubed has been emphasized but still not cemented. It seemed that students knew much more about the formulas and not as much about the conceptual understanding. To strengthen students’ understanding my class started a surface area activity late last week. Click the image below for the template.
Students were asked to pick one box in front of the classroom. I had many different boxes to choose from. Many of them were board games or boxes I borrowed from other teachers. It’s near the end of the school year and some teachers are moving classrooms so there were plenty of boxes. All of the boxes were rectangular prisms. Once students picked a box they took a picture and then found the dimensions. Students then took one piece of butcher paper and created a net based on the dimensions found earlier.
Students created the net and then wrapped up the box. Students were able to immediately identify whether their measurements were off or on target. It took some groups multiple attempts to find a correct solution. After students wrapped up their box they took a picture. Before and after pictures were sent to me via Showbie. I printed them out and the students placed them on their sheets.
It would have been great to print these out in color, but at this time of the year our school’s color printer is out of ink. After the activity students reflected on how their perception of area has changed over the past week. After listening to a few student reflections I’m deciding to keep this activity for next school year.
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