Grade 5 Math Lesson Plan: Volume of Cuboids

About This Resource

A 4-page, minute-by-minute plan for 3 lessons (3 lessons × 50 minutes) on volume: objectives, vocabulary, differentiation, misconceptions and teacher tips.

Overview

Students learn that volume is the amount of space a 3D shape takes up, measured in cubic units. They build cuboids from unit cubes, count cubes layer by layer, discover the formula V = length × width × height, use cubic centimeters (cm³) and cubic meters (m³), find a missing length when the volume is known, and solve problems with boxes, tanks and shapes made of two cuboids. The link between 1 cm³ and 1 mL connects volume to capacity.

Resource Details

Subject: Math
Topic: Volume of Cuboids
Category: Measurement
File Type: PDF
File Size: 280.7 KB
Published: 23 Oct 2026
Downloads: 0

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Grade 5 50 Minutes Lesson Plan Volume of Cuboids

Learning Objectives

Explain that volume is the amount of space inside or taken up by a 3D shape.
Find the volume of a cuboid by counting unit cubes in layers.
Use the formula V = l × w × h and write the answer in cubic units (cm³, m³).
Find a missing length when the volume and two lengths are known.
Find the volume of a shape made from two cuboids and solve real-life problems.

Lesson Procedure

Read the overview and success criteria before teaching.
Lesson 1 — What is volume? (50 min): follow the stage table (warm-up, teach, practice, exit ticket).
Lesson 2 — The volume formula (50 min): follow the stage table (warm-up, teach, practice, exit ticket).
Lesson 3 — Missing lengths and problem solving (50 min): follow the stage table (warm-up, teach, practice, exit ticket).
Use the matching PowerPoint, worksheet and assessment from this pack — the plan refers to their slide and part numbers.

Assessment

Exit tickets in lessons 1 and 3. Worksheet Parts A–E with the answer key. Unit Assessment (16 marks). Performance task (rubric): "Design a Box" — design a box with a given volume for a product and explain the measurements.

Differentiation

Support: Keep cubes available for every question. Challenge: Find all the cuboids with a volume of 36 cm³ (whole-number edges). English language learners: Point to length, width and height on a real box while saying the words.

Classroom Activity Ideas

Box Detectives (12 minutes, Pairs): Estimate which box has the biggest volume. Measure length, width and height to the nearest cm.
Same Volume, Different Box (10 minutes, Pairs): Use exactly 24 cubes to build a cuboid. Record l, w and h. Build a different cuboid with the same 24 cubes.
Volume Bingo (8 minutes, Whole class): Students write 9 numbers from this list in their grid: 6, 8, 12, 18, 20, 24, 27, 30, 36, 40, 48, 60. Call out a cuboid, e.g. "3 × 2 × 4".

Teacher Tips

Let students hold a 1 cm cube: "This is 1 cm³ — about the size of a sugar cube." Show 1 m³ with three meter sticks and tape in a corner of the room — students are always surprised how big it is.