In this lesson, students calculate the volume of different objects. The first activity recalls the meaning of volume as the number of cubic units required to fill a space. Students experiment with different ways to build a rectangular prism using a fixed number of cubes and relate this to finding factors of the number of cubes. In the second activity, students estimate the volumes of some very large structures—the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt and the Empire State Building in New York. Neither structure is a rectangular prism, but students will use that basic shape to estimate the volumes and analyze how this model affects conclusions they can make about the volumes. Students combine the skills of making reasonable estimates with finding products of very large numbers. If students need additional support with the concepts in this lesson, refer back to Unit 1, Section A in the curriculum materials.

As students worked together today, where did you see evidence of the mathematical community established over the course of the school year?