Mallows + Spaghetti = Fun Lesson

Let them build!!!!  Kids love to build things.  It completely engages them and they have fun.

It was time to cover volume and surface of a triangular prism.  I gave the kids 6 pieces of spaghetti and 6 marshmallows and they had to build triangular prisms.  It was a lot of fun.  It was interesting to see the kids talk out how to build the different kinds of triangular prisms.  After they built them they had to measure them and calculate. One day we did volume of a triangular prism (there is a review problem and then their choices for the day).  The next day we did surface area of a triangular prism (two review problems and their choices for the day).  For good work and correct answers they got marshmallows.

We could pick up the items and really get a good look.  This helped the kids who were struggling to understand.  The second days shapes were made with much more precision and lined up much better than the day before.  We went through 6 bags of mallows and a big box of spaghetti, it was worth every cent.

Oh, and apparently I say spaghetti funny.  They never miss a beat.