The very phrase "Prism Pop" can inspire a titular project: comparing cylinders, the traditional can shape, with the geometric surface of the soda's title. A teacher could charge her students with the task of determining the potential results of changing Prism Pop's shape, from a cylinder into an actual prism. Students must wield solid comprehension of how prisms and cylinders relate before starting such a project. They should know, for example, that while a cylinder is not a prism, vice versa is actually true.
Many Prism Pop assignments are designated as optimization projects: tasks where students must submit a packaging plan for a new product. So that students reap the most benefit of such a project, educators should hold a discussion where the concept of optimization is addressed. In advanced calculus classrooms, students can first jog their memories of any formulas or algorithms that might prove helpful. Teachers can then help students stipulate the goals for the task, prioritize the necessary processes and potential problems, and theorize the industries or businesses that would appreciate their work in this project.
An important component of any optimization project is understanding the history and purpose of the project's focus. One Prism Pop project could require that students research historical information about soda cans and their shape. Such work would help students make informed conclusions about why these cans have taken a particular form over the years. It would also provide them with an opportunity to marry their math skills with a practical, real-world concept. The American Can Company and Continental Can Company, can shape pioneers, should factor significantly into the students' investigations.
For optimization projects to be truly practical, they must underscore cost effectiveness, a concept which holds import in such fields as technology, business, and healthcare. Analyzing cost effectiveness can make for an advanced lecture or collaborative discussion between a teacher and students. Such a conversation should be held in regard of Prism Pop cans. For example, students can consider the current amount it costs to produce one can, including the actual soda, the can's raw materials, and the cost of labor. They can then brainstorm potential ways to reduce costs on all sides, while maintaining quality, or even improving it.