Title – Pretzel and Marshmallow Solids

By – Susanne Cauley

Primary Subject – Math

Grade Level – 3

Concept / Topic To Teach:

• Solid Figures

Standards Addressed:

• NC Standard Course of Study – 3rd Grade Math
  
  Objective 3.01 – Use appropriate vocabulary to compare and describe three-dimensional figures.

General Goal(s):

• Describe a solid figure by telling about its parts.

Specific Objectives:

• Classify space figures and identify the faces, edges and corners.

Required Materials:

• set of solid figures
• real-world examples of solid figures
• large marshmallows
• pretzel sticks
• math notebooks

Anticipatory Set (Lead-In):

• Review names of solid figures by holding up the following items:
  • can of soup
  • cheerleading megaphone
  • baseball
  • stick of butter
  • jack-in-the-box (or other available solid objects)

Step-By-Step Procedures:

1. Define face, edge and corner (also know as vertex or vertices).
   
   Face
   
   : flat surfaces created by line segments
   
   
   Edge
   
   : line segment where two faces meet
   
   
   Corner or Vertex
   
   : where three or more edges meet

2. Create a table together. (Teacher models and students copy and record data in math notebooks.)

   Solid Figure	Faces	Edges	Corners
   Sphere	0	0	0
   Cube	6	12	8
   Rectangular Prism	6	12	8
   Pyramid	5	8	5
   Cone	0	0	0
   Cylinder	0	0	0

3. Show children that pyramids can have squares for a base or triangles for a base.

Plan For Independent Practice:

1. Pass out the pretzel sticks and marshmallows.
2. Instruct students to build a cube using the pretzel sticks as the line segments and marshmallows as the corners. (I usually just pass out enough extras so students can eat a few to start with, then they will focus more on the work instead of constantly asking when they can eat!)
   
3. Once a cube has been constructed, instruct students to build a pyramid. They can build one with a square base or a triangle base or both as time allows.

Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set):

• Do your pretzel marshmallow structures have the proper number of faces, corners and edges? Compare them to your chart.
• Can you build any other solid figures with these same pretzel sticks and marshmallows? Why not?

Assessment Based On Objectives:

1. How many marshmallows would you need to build 2 cubes?
   
2. How many pretzel sticks would you need to make 3 pyramids?

Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities):

• Work with a partner to construct pretzel marshmallow solids.

Extensions (For Gifted Students):

• What materials could be used to create models of the other solid figures. Create some of these?

Possible Connections To Other Subjects:

• Write a journal entry explaining which solid figure is your favorite and why.

E-Mail

Susanne Cauley

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