Learning about surface area and volume

Using the book, Spaghetti and Meatballs for All! by Marilyn Burns, students explore surface area and volume by using their knowledge of area, perimeter, and volume. This lays an early foundation for important nanoscale concepts.The purpose of this lesson is to help students extend their knowledge of area, perimeter, and volume including surface area. The understanding of these concepts begin in the elementary grades and helps students understand events such as why a hot potato cools down quicker when it is spread out in smaller pieces and why a cell is triggered to divide.This understanding is even more important when students begin to understand the micro and nano scales in middle and high school.