Big or Small: Measure It All

Ohio Virtual Tour: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Measuring the Aircraft at Wright-Patterson — Cargo Carriers

Overview
This lesson practices measurement skills by asking students to compute perimeter, surface area and volume in three different cargo aircraft used by the United States Air Force.

Outcome
Students will practice calculating volume when given length, width and depth measurements. They will present their thinking in pictures, words and numbers in order to ensure comprehension of the concept as well as the process.

Standards Addressed — Mathematics

Grade 4
Measurement Units, Benchmark C
02. Demonstrate and describe perimeter as surrounding and area as covering a two-dimensional shape, and volume as filling a three-dimensional object.

Use Measurement Techniques and Tools, Benchmark D
06. Write, solve and verify solutions to multi-step problems involving measurement.

Grade 5
Measurement Units, Benchmark F
03. Demonstrate and describe the differences between covering the faces (surface area) and filling the interior (volume) of three-dimensional objects.

Measurement Units, Benchmark G
04. Demonstrate understanding of the differences among linear units, square units and cubic units.

Materials

Optional poster paper and art supplies to construct displays of work
Wright-Patterson Aircraft fact sheet
Aircraft “Pictures” student handout
Aircraft “Words” student handout
Aircraft “Numbers” student handout

Procedure

As a class, discuss why cargo aircraft are needed by the military.
Review the Wright-Patterson Aircraft Fact Sheet handout. Pictures of these aircraft may be found at www.af.mil/factsheets.
As an optional lesson, have students decide if the aircraft are able to land on both runways at Wright-Patterson. This would require information from the previous lesson on resurfacing the runways.
Have students, alone or in pairs, figure the cargo space of each aircraft. You might want to model this procedure with something visual and smaller in the classroom, like a desk drawer or a cabinet.
Remind students of their work in pictures, words and then numbers on the previous Wright-Patterson Air Force Base work. Ask them to do the same three activities as they compute the cargo space.
Have the students check their work and then present their findings to the class.

Student Handout Answers

View the Aircraft “Numbers” answer sheet.

Evaluation

Category	4	3	2	1
Diagrams and Sketches	Diagrams and/or sketches are clear and greatly add to the reader’s understanding of the procedure(s).	Diagrams and/or sketches are clear and easy to understand.	Diagrams and/or sketches are somewhat difficult to understand.	Diagrams and/or sketches are difficult to understand or are not used.
Explanation	Explanation is detailed and clear.	Explanation is clear.	Explanation is a little difficult to understand, but includes critical components.	Explanation is difficult to understand and is missing several components OR was not included.
Mathematical Concepts	Explanation shows complete understanding of the mathematical concepts used to solve the problem(s).	Explanation shows substantial understanding of the mathematical concepts used to solve the problem(s).	Explanation shows some understanding of the mathematical concepts needed to solve the problem(s).	Explanation shows very limited understanding of the underlying concepts needed to solve the problem(s), or is not written.
Neatness and Organization	The work is presented in a neat, clear, organized fashion that is easy to read.	The work is presented in a neat and organized fashion that is usually easy to read.	The work is presented in an organized fashion but may be hard to read at times.	The work appears sloppy and unorganized. It is hard to know what information goes together.