Print or draw a template for a cube. Cube templates consist of six equally sized squares arranged out in a cross formation. Cut out the template and fold along each square's line. Use tape to assemble the cube. Decorate the cube with the numbers 1 through 6 to create a die. Ask children to measure the sides of the cube and calculate the area of each side of the die, and the total volume of the die. Experiment with differently sized templates.
Create a pyramid using sugar cubes or other equal cube-shaped objects. To create a pyramid, build levels by creating squares out of the cubes. For example, start with a base of 100 cubes: 10 cubes by 10 cubes. The next layer should have 64 cubes: 8 cubes by 8 cubes. The third layer should have 36 cubes: 6 cubes by 6 cubes. Continue building the pyramid, each layer smaller than the last. Ask children to find the dimensions of each layer of the pyramid, the area of each layer of the pyramid and the volume of the entire pyramid based on their area calculations.
Purchase a photo cube kit or create your own photo cube out of clear Plexiglas. If you are using a photo cube kit, simply follow the directions included. To create your own photo cube, cut 6 equal squares out of Plexiglas. Use one side of the cube as a template to measure 6 photos or pictures. Attach a photo or picture to each of the 6 squares of Plexiglas using a small piece of tape or drop of clear glue. Assemble the photo cube using a hot glue gun to seal each square together, forming a cube. For an additional challenge, ask children to calculate the area of each square and the volume of the finished cube.
Create a square out of construction paper, poster board or cardboard. Draw a grid of smaller squares on your square. Separate your grid of squares into squares of varying sizes; some squares should be just one square of your grid, while other squares should be 4 or 8 squares of your grid. Use a pair of scissors to cut your squares apart. Mix the pieces up and challenge a child to arrange the smaller squares into the original square. You can also create other smaller shapes, such as rectangles or "L" shapes instead of squares, as long as all of the pieces can be arranged to form a square in the end. Ask children to determine the area of each puzzle piece, as well as the area of the final square.