Area Together With Volume

Every maths division should ain a giant lawn tennis ball! Walk into the classroom amongst a large fluorescent ball nether your arm as well as you've straight off got the attending of the class.

Students stand upward inwards a circle as well as are told they're solely allowed to speak if they're asset the ball. Ask "how could nosotros operate out the surface surface area of this ball?" as well as throw it to a random student. Students throw the ball around the circle equally they part their thoughts as well as advise ideas. At some quest a instructor prompt may last necessary, along the lines of, "why did I convey a lawn tennis ball? Why non a football game or netball or golf game ball?". In my sense this prompt may atomic number 82 some students to 'eureka' moments equally they showtime thinking virtually the markings on the surface of the lawn tennis ball. Eventually person volition topographic point that the surface is made upward of iv circles wrapped around each other, as well as they tin as well as so deduce that the formula for the surface surface area is 4πr2. If they demand convincing, present them this slide.


This is a really engaging activity. As pupils can't verbalize unless they're asset the ball, you'll run across them wildly waving their arms about, silently begging their friends to move past times them the ball so they tin part their ideas!

Try it - I'd honey to withdraw heed how it goes.

Area as well as majority is a broad ranging topic, from areas of triangles inwards Year seven to volumes of hemispheres as well as frustums inwards Year 11. Here's a handful of my favourite resources:
For related shape give-and-take - why produce nosotros tell hemisphere but semicircle? Why non semisphere or hemicircle? I believe it's because the news circle is from the Latin news circus (meaning ring), therefore nosotros role the Latin prefix semi, whereas sphere is from the Greek news sphaira (ball), therefore nosotros role the Greek prefix hemi. This article virtually semi/hemi/demi gives to a greater extent than examples. If y'all similar this as well as so y'all powerfulness also similar these lovely maths vocabulary activities.

Finally, here's ane for the teachers. It's non equally obvious equally it seems!