Ashley Taylor

Learning Center Annotated Bibliography

Topic: Surface Area

Target Audience: 6th Grade Mathematics 6 and pre-algebra students
Purpose: This learning center is designed to increase students’ interest in learning about surface
area. Incorporating various disciplines, such as Social Studies, English, and Art, allows the
students to explore surface area in a unique way, while learning about the early river valley
civilization in ancient Egypt.
Description: This learning center provides the students an opportunity to explore surface area
through three different activities. The first activity is called “Mummy Math”. This activity
prompts students to read the story, “Mummy Math” by Cindy Neuschwander. While the students
are reading and learning about ancient Egyptian tombs, they will be filling out an activity
handout. They will have a reading check, where they will fill in missing words from selected
excerpts from the book, and then they will find the surface area of a few identified geometric
solids from the book.
The second activity is called “Amazing Archaeologists”. The students will imagine that
they and their team of archaeologists are exploring two pyramids at the Giza Pyramid Complex.
Their task will consist of finding the surface area of the team tents and the two pyramids.
Kinesthetic and tactile learners will benefit greatly from this activity because it incorporates live
3D models. The students will be able to grab the tents and pyramids from the sand and use them
to help discover the surface area of each object.
The final activity is called “Technology Tomb”. This activity allows students to use
technology to help check their work and bring the 2D pictures to life in 3D visual models. The
students will be finding the surface area of various objects found within an ancient Egyptian
tomb.
Highlighted Standards:
Ashley Taylor

6.1.CO Compare the development of social systems among the early river valley civilizations.
6.GM.4 Unfold three-dimensional figures into two-dimensional rectangles and triangles (nets)
to find the surface area and to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

Sources
Brucke, C. Y., & Moore, D. (2009). Wrappers Wanted: A Mathematical Adventure in Surface

Area. AuthorHouse.

This source children’s literature book that takes students on a journey to find surface

area. I included this source as an additional resource for teachers to use for children’s

literature when creating their own learning centers.

BELL, L. (1983). Learning Centers in the Classroom. Middle School Journal, 14(2), 17-19.

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41431792

This source is an article by the Middle School Journal that discusses the basics of a

learning center and how learning centers can be used effectively in the classroom.

Calculating Surface Area and Volume Formulas for Geometric Shapes: Math: Cylinder area,

Volume of a cylinder, Surface area. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/759067712166724386/.

This is an illustration that helps students calculate the surface area of a cylinder. I used

this source as one of my surface area guides.

Geometry. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.geogebra.org/geometry?lang=en.

Goegebra is a website for teacher and student use that assists with calculating surface

area. The site can be used to create 3D solids and nets of different geometric shapes. I

included this source in my learning center as an additional technology resource for

teachers.
Ashley Taylor

GP. (2010). Retrieved from

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006C1NRDI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s0

0?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

This is a link to the site where I purchased the papyrus paper and ancient alphabet, used

to decorate my learning center.

How to find the Surface Area of a Rectangular Prism. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIcod_gk5CU.

I used this resource as one of my surface area guides. This resource shows students how

to find the surface area of a rectangular prism. Teachers can also use this video as an

instructional tool during a classroom lesson.

How to find the Surface Area of Regular Pyramid. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSlXFIomoQ8.

This video shows students how to find the surface area of a regular pyramid. I took a

screenshot during the video and used the image as one of my surface area guides.

Multiplication Chart FREEBIE. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Multiplication-Chart-FREEBIE-2143617.

This resource is a multiplication chart that I printed out for the students to use. I chose to

include a multiplication chart for students who struggle with basic multiplication facts. I

want their attention to be primarily focused on calculating surface area.

Neuschwander, C., & Langdo, B. (2009). Mummy math: an adventure in geometry. New York:

Scholastic, Inc.

This source is used as the primary text for activity one in the learning center.
Ashley Taylor

Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=Iom7ig9XJhcC&hl=en_US&pg=GBS.PP1.

This source is a link to a sample of the book, “Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble” by

Judy Schachner. Although this source does not deal directly with surface area, I chose to

include this text in my learning center to appeal to ESL students, since it has some text

written in Spanish. It also provides valuable information about Egyptian tombs in a

language that is compatible for middle school learners

Surface Area and Volume Rectangular Prism – Area Rectangular Prism – Volume. - ppt

download. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://slideplayer.com/slide/10286517/.

This source was used as one of surface area guides, to help the students calculate the

surface area of a rectangular prism.

Surface Area and Volume. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/SurfaceAreaAndVolume/.

This website was used during the technology portion of activity three. In the website,

students can adjust the 3D geometric shape measurements to find the surface area and

check their answers.

Surface area of a cylinder. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.mathopenref.com/cylinderareamain.html.

This website was used during the technology portion of activity 3. In the website, student

can adjust the measurements of the cylinder to match the measurements of the given

cylinders. They will calculate the surface area and check their answers.

Surface Area: Prisms and Pyramids - ppt download. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://slideplayer.com/slide/5855563/.
Ashley Taylor

This source was used as a surface area guide to help students calculate the surface area of

a triangular prism.