Directions

Group Work

In this project, students work in groups to:

• research and design product packaging to meet volume and surface area requirements of the requested rectangular prism;
• choose a scenario that supplies details about the client’s requirements for the package;
• research the dimensions of existing packages of similar size;
• create a table showing three sets of possible dimensions for the new product package; and
• consider patterns and gain an understanding of how changes to one dimension of the rectangular prism affect the other dimensions.
   

Materials Needed

For the group work, students will need:

• paper copies of the "Research on Sample Packages" worksheet;
• sample packages in the correct size range to use for research;
• rulers measuring at least to the nearest ;
• pencils; and
•  graph paper (several sheets per student).
   

Each group chooses one of three Box it Up scenarios available online.

Final Report

Individually, students will:

• determine a configuration for the dimensions of the rectangular prism that accommodates the required graphics;
• draw a scaled net for the prism, and show the placement of the net on a scaled diagram of the raw material sheet;
• calculate the scrap amount of area (two or three nets will fit on the raw material in each scenario);
• use a coordinate grid scale model of each face to show placement of the required graphics on the box, labeling points for each vertex and calculating area for each shape; 
• answer a series of questions to produce a final report that describes the processes used to arrive at these placements as well as justification that the placements are the most efficient and effective configurations; and
• present their work as if they are a product designer presenting to the executive board of the company that hired them.
  
   

Materials Needed and Special Instructions

For the individual work, each student will need a supply of  graph paper and a straightedge or ruler to aid in creating exact lines.

The questions that guide the individual work are online. Each question requires offline work using graph paper as well as written work that will be captured online. If done during class time, students will need three to four 40-minute periods to complete the work.  Teachers may opt to assign the offline work with graph paper as homework. To facilitate this, a printable version copy of the questions is provided. Students will need their offline work to answer the online questions.

For the individual work, students must continue working with the same scenario they used for the group work. Student access Additional Package Specifications specific to their scenario online. The final report questions are also scenario-specific. There are three versions of the report and students answer the questions that correspond to the scenario selected during group work.  The final presentations will require students to have access to slideshow software like PowerPoint or an online application like Prezi.  Students may also need construction materials like cardboard or construction paper, if they choose the second option for the final project.
 

Extra Support for Struggling Students

If you have students who struggle with this task, these suggestions and modifications may provide supportive scaffolding that will allow them to succeed.

• Provide sample boxes for the group’s chosen scenario that are within the correct size range instead of having them find their own.
• Provide the student with the specific volume from the sample answer for the chosen scenario as a starting point for the Individual Tasks/Final Report.
• Review the concepts of multiples and factors and stress the connection to the Individual Task and how to use that information to solve the problem.
• Allow use of a calculator.
• Tell the student the number of nets that fit on the raw material in the sample answer for the chosen scenario.
• Provide the student with graph paper that has the “raw material” sketched out in correct dimensions for the chosen scenario.
• Give the student hints about how to configure the net (where to put specific faces) for the scenario based on the sample answer.
• Assist the student in drawing conclusions about how to manipulate dimensions of the faces and maintain consistent volume.

Extension Opportunity

One way for students to extend their understanding of this topic is to analyze actual product packaging. After completing this module, students will have background knowledge concerning what goes into design and creating the right kind of packaging for a given product. Have students use this information to analyze and suggest improvements of actual product packaging will help them apply their learning to real-world scenarios. If you decide to assign students this extension project, give them the following directions:

As you learned in this module, there is a lot of planning and thought that goes into designing just the right package for a product. Think about things you own or have bought recently, or things you’ve seen in the store or on T.V. Choose one product with packaging that could be redesigned. Draw out a new design for the product. Write an email detailing your new design to the company that makes the product. Be sure to explain why you feel the package needs to be changed. Explain how and why you’d change it. Use your understanding of good package design as you complete this project.