PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY

Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Lesson Title: Filling up the Volume (rectangular prisms)
Context: 5th grade; 30 students; 1 EL level 4 proficiency, 0 Students with Disabilities, 0 Gifted and
Talented, 1 special consideration; has problems with understanding/comprehension
Time: One hour and forty minutes
Materials: flipped video, results from the pretest, math journals, pencils, manipulatives (counting unit
cubes), different sized rectangular prisms, computers or iPad, crayons, graph paper, Frayer model for
vocabulary, Legos, rulers, graphic organizer with real life volume problems, scissors, and tape
Key Standards:
5.MD.5: Relate volume to the operations of multiplication and addition and solve real-world and
mathematical problems involving volume. b. Apply the formulas V = l w h and V = b h for
rectangular prisms to find volumes of right rectangular prisms with whole-number edge lengths in the
context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.
SL.5.1: Exchanging information and ideas with others through oral collaborative discussions on a
range of social and academic topics
Measurable Objectives
Content: students will learn how to use rectangular prism formulas to solve problems they might
encounter in their everyday lives with volume. They will differentiate what the symbols are in the
formula and how they correspond with the numbers and measurements.
Skills or processes: students will need to do multiplication and or repeated addition.
Learning target: I will be able to calculate and solve volume based problems using multiplication
and or repeated addition, I will show this by using manipulatives, graphic organizers, and technology.
Academic Language: Length, width, height, base area, volume, cubic, rectangular prism, threedimensional, space, perpendicular, face(s), students will use heuristic language function to explain
their ideas and thought process, language discourse; students will use the academic language to
elaborate on their language functions.
Background: I will be teaching the students that volume is the amount of space occupied by a threedimensional object, and that it is always measured in cubic units. Although you can find the volume of
most solid objects, we will specifically be working with rectangular prisms. I will explain that a
rectangular prism is a solid figure that has 6 rectangular faces (individual surfaces). We will go over
the 2 formulas for finding the volume of the rectangular prism; V=l x w x h and V=b x h, we will look
at both of them to see how and why these formulas are similar. Students will also have many
opportunities in class to work with manipulatives, graphic organizers, and technology. Students will

rotate between 6 learning centers in groups of 5. Each station will allow for differentiated instruction
based on the students needs.
Motivation: Because volume is dealing with space and finding out how much an object can hold. It
can help you with cooking, baking, filling up swimming pools, figuring out what to send in packages,
how much medicine to take, how much of a liquid you drink, how much fuel you put into your car,
water conservationetc. Once a student knows the basics for volume they can start to apply their
knowledge to more complex concepts in math and science.
Connections to prior knowledge / assets:
Looking through the common core standards I can see that students start working on relevant content
by the second grade. This tells me that students should have prior knowledge on perimeter, length,
addition, multiplication, measurements, units, estimation, liquid volumes, and shapes. Students might
also have schema on how objects can hold matter. For instance, they may have filled up cups and or
buckets with water or pored sand into various items as a little kid, or they could have baked cookies or
made other food with their guardians that involved measuring cups.
Lesson Sequence: individual, group, whole class
Anticipatory Set: Pretest before flipped lesson video
Based on: Piaget, checking for schema
Time

What the Teacher Does:

What the Students Do:

I set up a pretest before the flipped lesson to see what students know about Students take the pretest before
volume. This will help me differentiate instruction in class.

they watch the video.

The students will be given this link the night before.

Home

https://www.goconqr.com/en-US/p/4938748-Volume-with-rectangular-

*the answers will automatically

prisms--quizzes

be sent to me once the student

activity (If a student doesnt have a computer or phone to use I will allow students has answered the questions. So
2 min

to come after school or before school to watch the video on the computers student only has to take the
in the classroom.)

pretest

Introduction: Watch flipped lesson video on YouTube

Based on: Constructivist learning theory, student-centered learning
Time

What the Teacher Does:

What the Students Do:

The flipped lesson is on YouTube at this URL

Students will watch the video. They will be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_atPvDovI

encouraged to take notes through drawing or writing.

Home
activity
6 min

(They have the option to pause the video so they can

It will begin to introduce volume and the academic copy what it says.) They can watch the video multiple
language that is associated with it (we will

times if needed and if they have any questions they

specifically be looking at rectangular prisms for this can bring them to class the next day. They will not be

lesson).

graded on their spelling for this activity.

Body of Instruction: Learning Centers

Differentiation / Scaffolding: Each table will have directions for students there will also be
suggestions for people who need a little extra help and one for students who need more from the
lesson. Students will be able to talk to each other in their groups and work with each other.
Based on: Bruner, Discovery learning
Time

What the Teacher Does:

What the Students

I will make 6 different learning centers for the students to use.

Do:

Table 1 will be working with manipulatives. There will be many rectangular

Students will listen

prisms, such as a cake pan, a shoe box, a small box, and an empty fish tank.

to instruction.

Instruction Students will use counting unit cubes to fill in the empty space to see what the

After I give direction

10 min

volume is of the various objects and *Elaborate on content*

students will pair-

Table 2 will be on the computers or iPads (there will be at least five electronic

share, they will talk

devices) students will log on and go to

to their partner about

http://www.xpmath.com/forums/arcade.php?do=play&gameid=118

what the directions

They will work on measuring volumes by counting unit cubes through a Minecraft and expectations are.
game

Once they feel ready

Each

Table 3 Students will create their own 3D cereal box They will figure out the

they will put a

center is

dimensions through counting cubes or with a ruler and then find the volume.

thumb to their chest

15 min

Table 4 will work on vocabulary. They will create Frayer models for volume,

so I know they

A full

rectangular prism, and base area.

understand and are

rotation of Table 5 will synthesize the information they have learned about volume. They will ready to start.
Centers

use Legos to build buildings and then they will connect the buildings together to

Students will get

totals to

figure out the new volume of the buildings

into their groups of 5

90 min

Table 6 will be where the students come to me. We will work on misconceptions

and go to their first

and questions first and then move to the graphic organizer

assigned table.

Say: I will introduce the learning centers to the students one by one so that students
understand my expectations. I will also let them know that each table has directions
and differentiated instructions if a students need it
Check for understanding: I would have the students pair-share with a partner
about what the directions and expectations are
Check for understanding: Table 6 misconception check
Differentiation / Scaffolding: If students are not picking up on the misconceptions, I would provide
scaffolding by modeling think aloud to show how I solve similar problems. If the group is picking up
on misconceptions, then we will start working on the graphic organizer.

Based on: Piaget, assimilation and accommodation, peer discussion

Time What the Teacher Does:

What the Students Do:

I will show the students a few volume problems, some will have a

Students will discuss among

15

mistake in them, and some will be correct. I will then ask the students

themselves what they feel I did wrong.

min

to look at the problems and talk to their group to see if there is anything They will be actively engaging in the
wrong with the way I solved it. If they say yes or no I will ask them to dialogue and justifying their reasoning
justify their reasoning to understand the thought process. I will provide for their answer.

scaffolding accordingly.
Elaborate on the content: Table 1 activity
Differentiation / Scaffolding: Students may draw in response to the questions if they are having a hard
time explaining it through words, they may also have a group discussion if they feel it is helpful.
Based on: Charlie Reigeluth, Elaboration Theory
Time What the Teacher Does:

What the Students Do:

After students explore volume with the counting cube manipulatives

They will participate in the activity

15

they will be asked to respond to 3 questions.

and respond to the questions which

Min

What is volume?

will then be turned into me for review

Why do counting cubes help with finding volume?

When can we use volume in our everyday lives? Explain.
Assessment: formative assessment with the cereal boxes they made
Differentiation / Scaffolding: students get to choose the difficulty level they are comfortable with for
making the boxes and they can use manipulatives to help them with volume.
Based on: Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development
Time

What the Teacher Does:

What the Students Do:

No time

I will use the 3D cereal boxes they made at Will create their 3D box during centers. The directions on the

they made table 3 to assess their work. Their

table will guide them to put their work on the back of the box

it at the

information will be on the box with all of

so that I can assess what they are getting and what they are

center

their work on the back of the box.

still struggling with. I will compare this to the pretest to look

for progression.

*Ideas inspired by Teacherspayteacher.com