Sometimes it is difficult for 3rd graders to visualize the hidden blocks in many volume problems. That’s why it’s important to practice this skill using actual blocks. The next best thing is to use virtual blocks on the computer. Today in Ms. Hill’s class at Pinchbeck Elementary we practiced finding volume using Pixie. In Pixie you can find blocks by going to Stickers, opening the Shapes folder, and then clicking on the Cubes folder. I gave them a template that you can download by clicking here. It has a sample problem with an invisible answer. The students try to figure it out and then they can click on the answer box, change the text color, and see the answer. Next I showed them how to create their own volume problem using the blocks stickers. They entered their answer in the text box and then made it invisible by turning it white. The last step was to find a friend, solve their volume problem, and check the answer by changing the color of the text box. If you’d like to see a sample, click on the picture to view it larger.
