EPISODE · Dec 21, 2025 · 14 MIN
Seeing Math: Area, Surface Area, and Volume
from Make Math Happen
This episode continues our Season 4 focus on making connections across mathematical domains and across grade levels. My goal over the coming months is to spark deeper conversations about instruction, sequencing, and sense-making, and to support teachers in taking these ideas back to their professional learning communities.Area, surface area, and volume are often taught as a list of formulas, but students need a much richer story. In this episode, we explore how these concepts grow from simple ideas about covering and filling space, why decomposing shapes matters, and how visual reasoning developed in earlier grades is essential for success in middle school and beyond.We connect this work to the Standards for Mathematical Practice and discuss why thoughtful sequencing is especially important for our learners. With developing prefrontal cortexes, students need us to organize learning intentionally so they can reason, make connections, and build understanding over time.You’ll walk away with concrete ways to model area, surface area, and volume using gridded space, manipulatives, household items, and simple classroom routines. Whether you’re a teacher or a family member supporting learning at home, this episode is designed to inspire deeper thinking, stronger instruction, and more meaningful conversations about how students learn mathematics.Send a textBuild multiplication fluency through understanding with the Seeing Patterns, Building Power series. Two books now available on Amazon—plus check out my son’s new adventure novel, Anansi: Shadows of Myth and Mystery!Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators. You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students. Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.If you like math videos, let's connect: YouTube TikTok
What this episode covers
This episode continues our Season 4 focus on making connections across mathematical domains and across grade levels. My goal over the coming months is to spark deeper conversations about instruction, sequencing, and sense-making, and to support teachers in taking these ideas back to their professional learning communities. Area, surface area, and volume are often taught as a list of formulas, but students need a much richer story. In this episode, we explore how these concepts grow from simpl...
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Seeing Math: Area, Surface Area, and Volume
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