OVERVIEW
This is a culmination lesson for students in grades 5 through 8 about finding area of a surface. It is a hands-on lesson that should be used after students have an idea of what area is and the formula to find it.
It enhances the exploration, synthesis, and application of the concept of surface area. Students work through a series of stations to explore the applications of the formula for area.
It is designed to incorporate technology skills into content. The class will work in small groups and cooperative skills are used. The unit will take 4-6 days, allowing at least a day to show projects and make presentations.
To begin the unit, you might want students to do a "survey" of community, parents, and peers about how they would find area. I did a video clip of the people I surveyed at NMSU in July, 2003.
