This lesson teaches students to build solids using unit cubes. It covers counting the number of unit cubes in different solids, creating 3D structures, and designing real-life structures based on cubes. The lesson includes interactive activities for students to build solids, assess their work, and complete practice problems counting unit cubes. It encourages students to upload photos of their own cube designs.

1. Building Solids using Unit Cubes
Learning Outcomes:
In this lesson, you will learn to
• build solids with unit cubes
• count the number of unit cubes in a solid
• create a 3-D structure using cubes
Integrating Mathematics with Art
Mrs Cynthia Seto / Master Teacher
Academy of Singapore Teachers

2. Main Menu
1 Introduction: A cube
2 Same number of cubes with different arrangements
3 Count the number of unit cubes
4 Build your own solids
5 Hidden Unit Cube
6 Practice 1
7 Practice 2
8 Practice 3
9 How many more unit cubes are needed?
10 Real-life designs based on cubes
11 Create your own 3-D design based on cubes

3. Introduction: A cube
This is a cube.
A single cube is called a unit cube.
face
edge

4. Same number of units cubes
with different arrangements
Did you notice that all these solids are made of
3 unit cubes but they are arranged differently?

5. Count the number of unit cubes
How many unit cubes are used to build this solid?
7 unit cubes

6. Build Your Own Solids
Use 4 unit cubes to build as many different solids as
you can. You may use Lego bricks (if you have them at
home) or click on the url below to build your solids.
http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=125
Once you are
at this website,
click on this to
learn how to use
the tools to
build your solid.
Source:
NCTM Illuminations

7. How well have I done?
Click on the screen capture or the yellow box below to do a self-assessment
of how well you have done in building different solids with 4 cubes.
Self Assessment on “Build Your Own Solids”

8. Hidden unit cube
Did you notice that 1 unit cube is hidden?
How many unit cubes are used to build this solid?
4 unit cubes

9. Practice 1
How many unit cubes are used to build this solid?
8 unit cubes 11 unit cubes 19 unit cubes

10. Practice 2
How many unit cubes are used to build this solid?
9 unit cubes 10 unit cubes 12 unit cubes

11. Practice 3
How many unit cubes are used to build this solid?
37 39 40 41

12. How many more unit cubes are needed?
? cubes
Post your answer and explain your strategy to
your class online forum or blog. After that,
review your partner’s strategy in working out
his/her answer.
A gentle reminder to return to this online lesson to watch a video
on how cubes are used in real-life designs.

13. Real-life Designs based on Cubes
Click on this picture below to
watch a video on cube tower

14. Create your 3-D Design based on Cubes
In your group, form your own cubes or collect
boxes that are in the shape of a cube to build
a 3-D design during your Art lesson.
Take a digital photo and then upload it for
art appreciation of each group’s design.

15. Congratulations!
By completing this online lesson,
you have demonstrated self-leadership.
Do the online quiz (only 6 questions)
and then you will be awarded with a
Certificate of Achievement.

16. Great! You have
considered the 3 hidden cubes.

17. Please Count Again!
You have left out the
3 hidden cubes.

18. Please Count Again!
You have counted the
number of faces instead of
the number of cubes.

19. Great Job!
12 unit cubes are used to build this solid.
Did you count them one by one or did you count
in this way: There are 6 rows. There are 2 cubes
in each row. So, 6 x 2 = 12.

20. Consider these in your counting ?
How many cubes are there in one row?
How many rows are there in this solid?

21. Try Again!
Study the arrangement of this solid, eg look at
the number of unit cubes in a row and the
number of rows etc

22. Bravo!
I have counted them in this way:
There are 7 rows of 4 cubes, 3 rows of 3 cubes and
a group of 4 cubes.
So, (7 x 4) + (3 x 3 ) + 4 = 41
Did you do it in this way?