Will it Fit?

Age Group: Years 5 – 6
Curriculum Links:
Numeracy: Problem-solving to include; addition, subtraction, surface area, tessellations.
What do I need?
Selection of cans
A3 paper, scissors
Calculators

Unit Summary

This unit will contain a range of numeracy challenges based around the concept of fitting different can/box shapes onto flat sheets. Set in the context of pupils being designers with a challenge to be the most economical.

Teacher Information

All of the tins and cans we see on our supermarket shelves begin life as flat sheets of aluminium or steel. These are then cut into the component shapes that will go to make the tin or can. It is important that as many parts as possible are fitted onto each flat sheet to minimise wastage. Any wastage that there is, is recycled.

This unit is numeracy based, giving the children the challenge of calculating ways to get as many component shapes as possible into a given area. They will be working as’ Packaging Engineers’ who have to design the layout for the cutting machines, work out the wastage left from each sheet and look for ways of minimising this through different arrangements of the components on the sheet.

Unit Materials

Lesson Stevie Steel vs Alice Aluminium
WillItFit.doc
TomatoSoup_WS1.doc
TunaWS2.doc
Sweet CornWS3.doc
DataSheetWS4.doc
Will it Fit_ICTAddOn.doc
WillitFit_Instructions.doc

Extensions and Variations

Try the same activity, but using different sized pieces of paper to represent the metal sheet. Also, measure some other cans and use their dimensions.

Think about other shapes of tin – what shape tin would ensure no waste from an A3 sheet?