Finding the Volume of a Prism Lesson Plan

Spatial Reasoning
Michigan Standards Addressed:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.GMD.A.3 - Use volume formulas for cylinders, pyramids, cones,
and spheres to solve problems.
Lesson Objective: Students will understand how to find the volume of a prism.
Materials:
Warm Up Activity
8.5 x 11 Sheets Paper for each student/group
1 pair of Scissors for each group
1 roll of scotch tape for each group
Plan of Instruction:
1. Warm-up: Within your group, complete the warm-up activity by identifying what 3-
dimensional shapes each of the cut-outs (called nets) will form, if any.
2. Go over homework from previous day and have students volunteer to answer any questions
that another student might have. If no students volunteer, the instructor answers the
question.
3. Conduct a mini-lecture on finding the volume of a prism.
Begin with the volume of a cube.
Students give the formula for finding the area of a square.
A cube is essentially a lot of squares stacked on top of each other to form a 3-
dimensional shape.
If enough squares are stacked on top of each other so that all sides of the shape are
the same length it forms a cube.
Volume of a cube is: s s s, where s is the length of a side.
Can also be expressed as V = s3
Progress to the volume of a rectangular prism.
Students give the formula for finding the area of a rectangle.
A rectangular prism is essentially a lot of rectangles stacked on top of each other to
form a 3-dimensional shape.
Using what we know from finding the volume of a cube, how might we find the
volume of a rectangular prism?
Volume of a rectangular prism is: w h
Finish with the volume of a generic prism.
So far, we have been taking the area of a 2-dimensional shape (square, rectangle)
and then stacking a whole bunch of them on top of each other to form a prism.
What formula could we create for the volume of any prism?
Formula for the volume of a generic prism: V = B h, where B is the area of the base
and h is the hight of the prism.
Recap the volume of a cube, a rectangular prism and a generic prism.
1. Cube: V = s3
2. Rectangular Prism: V = w h
3. Generic Prism: V = B h

Geometry - Spatial Reasoning Finding the Volume of a Prism

4. Students break into their groups and complete the Finding the Largest Volume of a Prism
activity.
After students have created they rectangular prism and found the volume, have a
representative from each group come up front and rank them from smallest to largest
volume after recording each groups measurements.
If there is time remaining, have the students repeat the activity using another base
(circle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, etc).
5. Formative Assessment: Students will begin working on questions for this lesson from the
book, due the following day.
Sources:
Burger, Edward B., David J. Chard, Earlene J. Hall, Paul A. Kennedy, and Steven J. Leinwand.
Geometry. Austin, TX, Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 2007.
"Prisms: Areas and Volume." School Improvement in Maryland, Maryland State Department of
Education, mdk12.msde.maryland.gov/share/clgtoolkit/lessonplans/prismswarmup.pdf.

Geometry - Spatial Reasoning Finding the Volume of a Prism

 Prisms: Areas and Volume

Warm-up

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

The nets above could be a net for a cube, a cylinder, or a rectangular prism. Write the correct
name of the solid beside the net that could be folded into one of these solids. Some of these
nets can not be folded into any of these solids. Explain what would need to change in order
for these nets to become a net for a cube or cylinder or a rectangular prism.

7. Think about some other nets for cubes, cylinders, or rectangular prisms. Draw them
 Prisms: Areas and Volume

Answers: 1. Cube
2. None
3. Rectangular prism
4. None (be sure that students understand that it cannot be
"twisted" to create a solid)
5. Cylinder (note that one of the sides is a little more than one
unit wide, so a total of about 3.14)
6. None
7. Check student drawings
 Finding the Largest Volume of a Prism Activity
Instructions: During this activity, you will work within your groups to create a rectangular prism
with the largest possible volume using an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Be sure to use your warm
up, your notes and a calculator as reference tools to help you as you create this rectangular
prism.
After you have created your rectangular prism, measure each of its sides and use those
measurements to find the total volume of your rectangular prism.
After each group has completed this activity, we will use the measurements from each group to
identify which rectangular prism has the largest volume.
Group participation is expected during this activity. I should see each group working together to
create a rectangular prism with the largest volume.

____________________________________________________________________________

Finding the Largest Volume of a Prism Activity

Instructions: During this activity, you will work within your groups to create a rectangular prism
with the largest possible volume using an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Be sure to use your warm
up, your notes and a calculator as reference tools to help you as you create this rectangular
prism.
After you have created your rectangular prism, measure each of its sides and use those
measurements to find the total volume of your rectangular prism.
After each group has completed this activity, we will use the measurements from each group to
identify which rectangular prism has the largest volume.
Group participation is expected during this activity. I should see each group working together to
create a rectangular prism with the largest volume.

____________________________________________________________________________

Finding the Largest Volume of a Prism Activity

Instructions: During this activity, you will work within your groups to create a rectangular prism
with the largest possible volume using an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Be sure to use your warm
up, your notes and a calculator as reference tools to help you as you create this rectangular
prism.
After you have created your rectangular prism, measure each of its sides and use those
measurements to find the total volume of your rectangular prism.
After each group has completed this activity, we will use the measurements from each group to
identify which rectangular prism has the largest volume.
Group participation is expected during this activity. I should see each group working together to
create a rectangular prism with the largest volume.