Lesson Plan: Volume of Rectangular Prisms and Cubes

Grade Level: 5
Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Volume of Rectangular Prisms and Cubes
Duration: 60 minutes
Lesson Type: 5E Model

Lesson Objectives:

 Cognitive:
Students will be able to calculate the volume of rectangular prisms and
cubes using the formulas V=l×w×hV = l \times w \times hV=l×w×h
and V=s3V = s^3V=s3.

 Psychomotor:
Students will measure dimensions of various prisms and cubes and
calculate their volumes.

 Affective:
Students will understand the real-world application of volume in solving
problems like packing, storage, or liquid measurement.

Materials Needed:

 Rectangular prisms (real objects like boxes or printed images)

 Cubes (real cubes or printed pictures)

 Rulers or measuring tapes

 Whiteboard and markers

 Paper and pencils for each student

 Worksheet with volume problems

 Small cubes or block sets (for hands-on activity)

 Calculators (optional)

 ICT tools (e.g., interactive volume calculation tools on the

computer/tablets)
Lesson Procedure:

1. Engage (10 minutes)

Objective: Activate prior knowledge and spark curiosity.

Activity:

 Prompt Questions:

o Begin by showing a cube (e.g., dice) and a rectangular box (e.g.,

shoebox). Ask the class:

 "What’s the difference between these shapes?"

 "How might we find out how much space is inside these

objects?"

o Real-World Connection:

 Relate volume to real-world scenarios such as determining

how much liquid a container holds, the space in a room, or
the amount of storage in a box. This connects the lesson to
practical applications.

Volume is a crucial concept in everyday life, as it helps us

understand the amount of space something occupies or
the amount of liquid or material a container can hold. Here
are some real-world scenarios that relate to volume:

1. Determining How Much Liquid a Container Holds:

o Example: Imagine you're filling a fish tank with water. The

volume of the tank tells you how much water you need to fill it
completely. If the tank is 50 liters, you know you need 50 liters of
water to fill it. This is important for ensuring the fish have
enough space to live and for knowing how much water you're
using.

o Practical Application: This concept also comes in handy when

buying drinks. If a soda can has a volume of 355 milliliters, you
know how much liquid it holds, helping you determine how much
liquid you’re consuming.

2. The Space in a Room (Volume of a Room):

 o Example: When moving into a new house, you might want to
know the volume of a room to decide if your furniture will fit. If
you have a room that is 5 meters long, 4 meters wide, and 3
meters high, the volume of the room would be 60 cubic meters
(5 × 4 × 3 = 60). This helps you understand the available space
for items or how to arrange them.

o Practical Application: Knowing the volume of a room also

helps with heating and cooling. A larger volume might require a
more powerful air conditioner or heater.

3. Amount of Storage in a Box or Container:

o Example: If you have a storage box that's 2 meters long, 1

meter wide, and 1 meter high, the volume of the box would be 2
cubic meters (2 × 1 × 1 = 2). This tells you how much you can
store inside it. You can pack clothes, books, or other items based
on the box's volume.

o Practical Application: When packing for a move, you can

calculate the volume of your items to estimate how many boxes
you'll need and whether they'll fit in your new space.

4. Fuel in a Car's Gas Tank:

o Example: A car's gas tank holds a certain volume of fuel, like 50

liters. Knowing the volume of the gas tank allows you to
determine how much fuel is left and when you need to refuel.

o Practical Application: This helps in planning trips, as knowing

the volume of fuel you have ensures you don't run out on the
road.

5. Swimming Pool:

o Example: If you have a rectangular swimming pool that's 10

meters long, 4 meters wide, and 2 meters deep, the volume of
the pool is 80 cubic meters (10 × 4 × 2 = 80). This tells you how
much water you need to fill the pool.

o Practical Application: Knowing the volume of the pool helps

with maintenance, such as knowing how much chlorine or
cleaning chemicals to use.
Indicator 1: Applied knowledge of content within and across curriculum
teaching areas.

 This activity draws on real-world contexts (such as packaging, liquid

volume, or storage) and connects mathematics to practical
applications in daily life, which is often discussed in science or
geography.

Indicator 4: Managed classroom structure to engage learners, individually

or in groups, in meaningful exploration, discovery and hands-on activities
within a range of physical learning environments.

 Students are engaged right away by being shown real-world objects

(cube and box) that they can connect to their own experiences.

2. Explore (15 minutes)

Objective: Allow students to explore the concept of volume through hands-

on activities.
Activity:

 Group Work:

o Divide students into small groups and give them a cube and a
rectangular prism (real objects or diagrams).

o Students will measure the length, width, and height of the

rectangular prism and the side length of the cube using rulers
or measuring tapes.

o Students will calculate the volume for both shapes using the
formulas:

 Rectangular Prism: V=l×w×hV = l \times w \times

hV=l×w×h

 Cube: V=s3V = s^3V=s3

 Encourage students to use critical thinking by asking: "What happens if

we change the side length in the cube? How would that affect the
volume?"

 Differentiation:
Provide pre-measured objects for students who have difficulty
measuring. More advanced students can be given complex problems
 involving different units or require conversion between metric and
imperial units.

Indicator 2: Used a range of teaching strategies that enhance learner

achievement in literacy and numeracy skills.

 Through this activity, students practice numeracy skills (calculating

volume) while reinforcing literacy by reading and interpreting the
formulas and units.

Indicator 6: Used differentiated, developmentally appropriate learning

experiences to address learners’ gender, needs, strengths, interests, and
experiences.

 The activity offers differentiation by providing real objects for tactile

learners and problems with varying difficulty. The hands-on component
also engages students with diverse learning styles (kinesthetic, visual,
and auditory learners).

3. Explain (10 minutes)

Objective: Provide a clear and structured explanation of formulas and

connect with prior knowledge.
Activity:

 Teacher Explanation:

o Write the formulas for the volume of rectangular prisms and

cubes on the whiteboard:

 Rectangular Prism Volume Formula: V=l×w×hV = l \

times w \times hV=l×w×h

 Cube Volume Formula: V=s3V = s^3V=s3

o Explain each component of the formula. For the rectangular

prism, discuss how length, width, and height contribute to
volume. For the cube, explain that the three dimensions are the
same, hence the formula simplifies to s3s^3s3.

o Provide a sample problem for each shape and solve it with the
class:

 Rectangular prism:
"A box has a length of 6 cm, width of 3 cm, and height of 2
 cm. What is its volume?"
V=6×3×2=36 cm3V = 6 \times 3 \times 2 = 36 \, \
text{cm}^3V=6×3×2=36cm3

 Cube:
"A cube has a side length of 4 cm. What is its volume?"
V=43=64 cm3V = 4^3 = 64 \, \text{cm}^3V=43=64cm3

Indicator 3: Applied a range of teaching strategies to develop critical and

creative thinking, as well as other higher-order thinking skills.

 Critical thinking is fostered by encouraging students to explore the

effect of changing dimensions (side length of cubes and the
dimensions of rectangular prisms) on volume.

 Creativity is encouraged when discussing real-life applications,

prompting students to think about the volume of items they use every
day and how it applies to things like food packaging or containers.

4. Elaborate (15 minutes)

Objective: Apply the concept to new problems and enhance critical and
creative thinking.
Activity:

 Collaborative Group Work:

o Hand out a worksheet with a variety of volume problems that

involve both rectangular prisms and cubes. These problems
range from straightforward calculations to more complex ones,
such as solving for missing dimensions or converting units.

o One of the problems could involve a real-world scenario like:

"A shipping company needs to know how much cargo they can fit
in a truck that has a rectangular shape. The truck’s interior
measures 12 meters in length, 4 meters in width, and 3 meters
in height. What is the total volume of space available for cargo?"

 Use ICT Tools:

o Introduce an interactive volume calculator or 3D model on a

tablet or computer. Students can manipulate dimensions and see
how volume changes in real time, allowing for an interactive
learning experience.
Indicator 7: Planned, managed, and implemented developmentally
sequenced teaching and learning processes to meet curriculum
requirements and varied teaching contexts.

 The progression from exploration to explanation ensures that

students can apply the formula independently before delving into more
complex problems, allowing for a natural, sequential learning flow.

Indicator 8: Selected, developed, organized, and used appropriate teaching

and learning resources, including ICT, to address learning goals.

 The inclusion of ICT resources like interactive volume calculators

provides students with a dynamic, engaging learning experience that
complements traditional methods.

5. Evaluate (10 minutes)

Objective: Assess students’ understanding of volume and provide feedback.

Activity:

 Exit Ticket:

o Ask each student to write down:

1. The formula for calculating the volume of a rectangular

prism.

2. The formula for calculating the volume of a cube.

3. One real-world application of volume.

 Peer Review:

o Have students pair up and review each other’s worksheet

answers. They should explain how they arrived at their solutions
to reinforce peer learning and critical reflection.

Indicator 9: Designed, selected, organized, and used diagnostic, formative,

and summative assessments to monitor and support student learning.

 The exit ticket provides a formative assessment, helping the

teacher gauge individual understanding. Peer reviews offer diagnostic
assessment opportunities.
Assessment:

 Formative:

o Exit ticket responses

o Observations during group work and peer reviews

o Collaboration on worksheet problems

 Summative:

o Completion and accuracy of the worksheet

o A follow-up quiz on volume calculations for both shapes

Extensions and Adaptations:

 For Advanced Learners:

o Offer problems involving unit conversions or applications of

volume in complex real-world contexts (e.g., determining the
volume of irregular objects by breaking them into smaller
rectangular prisms).

 For Struggling Learners:

o Provide visual aids such as diagrams and step-by-step

instructions to help students visualize the process. Hands-on
activities with real objects can reinforce the concept of volume.

Reflection:

After the lesson, reflect on:

 Were students able to apply the volume formula to both shapes

effectively?

 How well did the use of differentiated instruction support various

learners?

 Did the ICT tools enhance student engagement and understanding?

 What adjustments can be made in future lessons to address any areas

of confusion or difficulty?