Surface Area & Volume of Prisms Unit

We just wrapped up our unit on finding the surface area and volume of prisms. At our school we break up surface area and volume into 3 units (prisms, pyramids, and then cones/cylinders spheres). I have NO idea why we do this but, I definitely want to change it up next year and make it as one big unit.

Day 1: Students taped down the Prisms formula chart to the left of their flip-book. It is extremely important to mirror how to set up the flip-book with your students because if not, there will be a lot of "My book doesn't look like that!" and a lot of students yelling "Help!" There may even be some students that go through the whole unit without taking notes because their book is messed up and they are not the type to ask for help. We went through the vocabulary sections, formulas section, and rectangular prisms section in our book on day 1.

After the notes, I handed out students the following surface area and volume of rectangular prisms homework. I put a QR code reader on many of the homework assignments this unit because I wanted students to check to see if they had the correct variables before plugging them into the equations. However, 95% of my students did not use the QR code because they claimed they did not need it. I wish they did, but I do LOVE their confidence!

FUN FACT: STUDENTS CAN NOW USE SNAPCHAT TO SCAN QR CODES

Day 2: We started the day off by finding the surface area and volume of cubes. Students thought this was one of the easiest topics we have covered this year and this lesson did not take long at all.

After the notes, I had students break up into groups of 2 and create their own nets of rectangular prisms and cubes. Students were expected to find the surface area and volume of their net. I did not tell them how the net of each prism would look like and they magically figured it out by themselves :)

After the nets activity, students worked on the following surface area and volume of cubes homework. 

Day 3: As soon as students walked in, we went over how to find the surface area and volume of triangular prisms. Students seemed to struggle the most on this topic throughout the whole unit. Most mistakes were finding the incorrect area of the base (B).

After the notes, we completed the "Least to Greatest Prisms" activity currently on my "Classrooms Activity" page on my blog. 

I ended the day by passing out the following homework assignment over finding the surface area and volume of triangular prisms. This homework assignment had the lowest grades overall. 

Day 4:  We started off the Monday going over the most common missed questions on the quiz they took on Friday. The most missed questions were #4, 5, 8, and 11. I allow students to complete quiz corrections for half credit back (may take advantage of this and learn from their mistakes) and I am in the process of coming up with the perfect quiz correction form :). We also learned how to find the surface area and volume of hexagonal prisms. 

After the notes, students worked on this hexagonal prisms homework assignment for the little time they had left remaining.

Day 5: Pep Rally/Quiz day!! I didn't want to make extra copies this week so instead of making each student a copy of the "Are you Ready for Prisms Quiz", I had students follow along on their desks with an expo marker. I put a little shaving cream on the corner of their desk for students to use to clean it off. FYI: Shaving cream is a fun and inexpensive way to clean off students desk (also quite the air freshener). I had several students go to the board to solve it if I saw them solve it correctly on their desk. I made 3 separate forms (Form C is for my special ed/modified kiddos). You can finfd my quiz when you click here (Surface Area and Volume of Prisms Quiz).

Day 6: Computer lab day, HOORAY!! We headed down to the computer lab that is several feet from my classroom since we are not yet 1:1. I turned my surface area and volume task cards into a socrative quiz. My students love these socrative quizzes. For those who do not know where to go, click on b.socrative.com and go to teacher login. If you would like to use it in your classroom, SOC-21518720.

Day 7: I had students create their own original prisms and then told students to change its dimensions. We discussed the effects of changing dimensions on area and volume. I printed some old task cards out 6 to a page and had students glue them down in their note-book for notes. Students told me that they would like a test just over this topic alone ;) After the task card notes, we completed a mini review of the whole unit that they will be tested over on day 9. 

Day 8: We were on a weird/modified schedule due to STAAR testing so I made a review worksheet for the classes that I did have for a short period of time. We did a "Plug & Chug" activity over finding the surface area and volume of prisms. Students have to start at A and find the answer to be able to solve the next problem. I love these because students seem to ask questions more since they do not want to get to the last problem just to have to go back and re-do all of their hard work. :)

Teaching Reflections.....

Students ROCKED this unit! I felt like the best teacher ever after looking over their test scores... I do not know if it was because it was too easy and I should have included cylinders in this unit.... Maybe, because the homework was so small that 90% of students turned in all of their assignments... Still just not sure! 

Here are some of the files that I used for this unit: 

• Flip-book
• Directions for Setting up Flip-Book
• Formula Chart
• Effects of Changing Dimensions Cards

The other files can be found when you click here: 

• Surface Area and Volume of Prisms Quiz
• Surface Area and Volume of Prisms Warm-Ups/Exit Tickets
• Surface Area and Volume of Prisms HW
• BUNDLE

P.S. Sorry if there are a lot of typos and/or grammar issues. My 3 year old son played Pillowtalk by Zayn on repeat while I was writing this post :))