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Related Activities

1. Have students construct similar squares, rectangles, and triangles using marshmallows and toothpicks in order to investigate the relationships between the corresponding sides, the perimeters, and the areas of the similar figures.
2. Have students find the lengths of sides, perimeters, and areas of the similar figures, and determine the ratios of the corresponding sides, the perimeters, and the areas of the similar figures.
3. Have students make generalizations by analyzing their results, forming conjectures, and explaining the relationships that are evident in the activity.
4. Have students verify their findings by making a construction that illustrates what they discovered about the relationships between the corresponding sides, the perimeters, and the areas of the similar figures (see Activity Sheet).

Author

Adapted from the NYS Department of Education publication, A Toolkit for Mathematics Educators: Key Idea Tasks to Enhance Success (KITES)

Description

Students will construct concrete objects such as triangles, squares, rectangles, pyramids, and cubes with toothpicks and miniature marshmallows to create two- and three-dimensional objects. They will use these models to explore various mathematical concepts from elementary to commencement level.

Materials and Resources

Activity Sheet

Related Academic Standards

New York State

MST3.C.MM4.MA.A Students represent problem situations symbolically by using algebraic expressions, sequences, tree diagrams, geometric figures, and graphs.

MST3.C.ME5.MA.F Students apply proportions to scale drawings and direct variation.

MST3.C.ME5.MA.I Students use geometric relationships in relevant measurement problems involving geometric concepts.