Name ____________________________________
Date ________________________
Lab: Surface Area Activity – Part 1
Materials:
 Unit cubes (24 per group)
Follow the steps below.
1) Using all of your unit cubes (24), create a rectangular prism.
2) Enter its dimensions into the table below.
Length
Width
Height
Volume
Surface
Area
Sketch
3) Calculate its volume and surface area. Place these measurements into the table.
4) Draw a picture of your rectangular prism in the final column of the table.
5) Create as many rectangular prisms as possible by repeating steps #1-4. After you finish,
answer the questions on the next page.
NJ Center for Teaching and Learning
-1-
www.njctl.org
Follow-up Questions:
1) Which arrangement of 24 cubes has the least surface area?
2) Which arrangement of 24 cubes has the greatest surface area?
Lab: Surface Area Activity – Part 2
Materials:
 Unit cubes (64 per group)
Follow the steps below.
1) Using all of your unit cubes (64), create a rectangular prism.
2) Enter its dimensions into the table below.
Length
Width
Height
NJ Center for Teaching and Learning
Volume
-2-
Surface
Area
Sketch
www.njctl.org
3) Calculate its volume and surface area. Place these measurements into the table.
4) Draw a picture of your rectangular prism in the final column of the table.
5) Create as many rectangular prisms as possible by repeating steps #1-4. After you finish,
answer the questions below.
Follow-up Questions:
3) Which arrangement of 64 cubes has the least surface area?
4) Which arrangement of 64 cubes has the greatest surface area?
5) What conclusion can you make about prisms that have the least and greatest surface area?
NJ Center for Teaching and Learning
-3-
www.njctl.org
Name __ANSWERS__________________________
Date ________________________
Lab: Surface Area Activity – Part 1
Materials:
 Unit cubes (24 per group)
Follow the steps below.
1) Using all of your unit cubes (24), create a rectangular prism.
2) Enter its dimensions into the table below. Note: the values in the table below can be
placed in any order.
Length
24
Width
Height
Volume
Surface
Area
1
1
24
98
Sketch
1
1
24
12
1
2
1
24
76
2
12
8
1
3
1
24
70
3
8
6
1
4
1
24
68
4
6
6
2
2
24
2
56
6
4
2
2
3
2
24
52
4
3
3) Calculate its volume and surface area. Place these measurements into the table.
4) Draw a picture of your rectangular prism in the final column of the table.
5) Create as many rectangular prisms as possible by repeating steps #1-4. After you finish,
answer the questions on the next page.
NJ Center for Teaching and Learning
-4-
www.njctl.org
Follow-up Questions:
1) Which arrangement of 24 cubes has the least surface area?
The prism that is 4 x 3 x 2
2) Which arrangement of 24 cubes has the greatest surface area?
The prism that is 24 x 1 x 1
Lab: Surface Area Activity – Part 2
Materials:
 Unit cubes (64 per group)
Follow the steps below.
1) Using all of your unit cubes (64), create a rectangular prism.
2) Enter its dimensions into the table below. Note: the values in the table below can be
placed in any order.
Length
64
Width
Height
Volume
Surface
Area
1
1
64
258
Sketch
1
1
64
32
1
2
1
64
196
2
32
16
1
4
1
64
168
4
16
16
2
2
2
64
136
2
16
8
1
8
1
64
160
8
8
2
4
2
64
112
8
4
8
4
4
64
4
96
4
NJ Center for Teaching and Learning
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4
4
www.njctl.org
3) Calculate its volume and surface area. Place these measurements into the table.
4) Draw a picture of your rectangular prism in the final column of the table.
5) Create as many rectangular prisms as possible by repeating steps #1-4. After you finish,
answer the questions below.
Follow-up Questions:
3) Which arrangement of 64 cubes has the least surface area?
The prism that is 4 x 4 x 4, which is also a cube
4) Which arrangement of 64 cubes has the greatest surface area?
The prism that is 64 x 1 x 1
5) What conclusion can you make about prisms that have the least and greatest surface area?
The length, width and height that are the same, or almost the same measurements will give
you the smallest surface area. When the measurements use the maximum length (in our
lab 24 and 64, respectfully) with the width and height both being 1, the surface area will be
the greatest.
NJ Center for Teaching and Learning
-6-
www.njctl.org