Review terms:

• Volume: The amount of space a 3D object takes up.

  • For cube structures, we can determine this by counting the number of 1 inch cubes.  This is the volume with units of in3 (cubic inches).

  • Why do we measure volume in inches cubed?

    • Because we are measuring 3D space, so you need 3 dimensions. 1in x 1in x 1in.

• Surface Area: The total area of the faces of an object.

  • This is a 2-dimensional quantity because it refers to the faces of the cube.

  • We can calculate the surface area of a cube structure by counting the exposed cube faces (1 in2, square inch) for all 6 views and totaling them.

• Why would you need something like surface area?

  • When you wrap a gift or put up wall paper, you need to figure out how much area you must cover to figure out how much (2D) paper you need.

Have some prefabricated cube structures around the room. Students should rotate between them and note their station number and their calculated surface area and volume. Walk around and check their calculations. The structures you set up should consist of at least 2 cubes and you should include one complex structure with more than 4 cubes.

• What have the you learned about the structures and determining the Volume and Surface Area?

• How can you use engineering drawings and calculations of volume and surface area to help with your own designs?

  • The drawings and calculation may place requirement restrictions that impact possible design options.