Lesson Ideas
Currently, this is the only the lesson I have published, but keep checking back here, as I will be posting new lessons soon.
Minecraft Lesson: Volume (Elementary School Level)
Essential skills:
NCTM - Geometry - Understand relationships between volumes of objects
Volume Discussion Questions:
Do you know what volume is?
Can you give me one volume formula?
First Activity - Computing Volume:
The kids will be asked to build a house using the supplied materials. Once they have completed building the house, students will be asked what the volume of the building is. They will show their answers by placing signs in their own individual rooms. Once they have done so, the teacher will reveal the correct answer.They will then be asked to create a different building with the same volume using the same amount of materials as in the first activity. By doing this, students will understand that two polygons can be the same type and have the same volume, but also have different dimensions.
Scaling Discussion Questions:
What would happen if I doubled the length? width? height?
What would happen if I doubled two at once?
What would happen if I doubled three?
Second Activity - Scaling and Changes to Volume:
Using the house they built as an example, in game I’ll take one of the sides and double it. I’ll then ask students to give me the new dimensions of the figure. Once they have done so, I will then ask what the volume is and how it changed. Then, I’ll ask them to predict what will happen if I double another side.
NCTM - Geometry - Understand relationships between volumes of objects
Volume Discussion Questions:
Do you know what volume is?
Can you give me one volume formula?
First Activity - Computing Volume:
The kids will be asked to build a house using the supplied materials. Once they have completed building the house, students will be asked what the volume of the building is. They will show their answers by placing signs in their own individual rooms. Once they have done so, the teacher will reveal the correct answer.They will then be asked to create a different building with the same volume using the same amount of materials as in the first activity. By doing this, students will understand that two polygons can be the same type and have the same volume, but also have different dimensions.
Scaling Discussion Questions:
What would happen if I doubled the length? width? height?
What would happen if I doubled two at once?
What would happen if I doubled three?
Second Activity - Scaling and Changes to Volume:
Using the house they built as an example, in game I’ll take one of the sides and double it. I’ll then ask students to give me the new dimensions of the figure. Once they have done so, I will then ask what the volume is and how it changed. Then, I’ll ask them to predict what will happen if I double another side.