enVision Mathematics Grade 5, Topic 11: Understand Volume
In this unit, your child learns that volume is the space inside a solid. They fill boxes with unit cubes, count the ones they can't see, then discover the shortcut of length × width × height, or base area × height. They also add the volumes of two joined boxes. It follows the data unit, and converting measurements comes next.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
What is my child learning in Topic 11?
- Describing volume as the number of unit cubes that fill a solid with no gaps or overlaps. Learn more: Volume: how much space is inside a solid
- Counting cubes in layers, including hidden ones, and naming the units, like cubic centimeters or cubic feet. Learn more: Finding volume by counting cubes
- Using length × width × height, or base area × height, to find volume, and adding the volumes of two joined boxes. Learn more: Finding the volume of a box
Sample questions to try together
These are real questions from our practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
Hana stacks 12 unit cubes into a tall tower. Then she takes it apart and uses all 12 cubes to build a long, low wall. How does the volume of the wall compare with the volume of the tower?
- They have the same volume
- The tower has more volume
- The wall has more volume
How you can help
- Build a box from blocks, sugar cubes, or dice with your child, like 3 cubes long, 2 wide, and 2 tall. Ask how many cubes it takes, 12, before counting them.
- Pick two boxes from the pantry, one tall and narrow and one short and wide. Ask your child to guess which holds more, then measure and multiply to check.
- Ask your child to find the volume of a drawer or toy bin with a ruler: measure length, width, and height in inches, then multiply to get cubic inches.
Where kids can get stuck
- Counting only the cubes they can see, so a 3 by 4 by 2 stack is counted as 20 or fewer instead of 24.
- Writing square inches instead of cubic inches, mixing up the unit for area with the unit for volume.
- Finding the area of the base and forgetting to multiply by the height.
Practice makes perfect
Bobby's Math Club has practice problems that adapt to your child’s level, each with a detailed explanation and an easy-to-follow video, so your child can build confidence in these skills one step at a time.
Words your child will hear
- volume
- The amount of space inside a solid, measured in cubic units.
- unit cube
- A small cube that counts as 1 cubic unit.
- cubic unit
- The unit for volume, like a cubic inch or a cubic centimeter.
- layer
- One flat level of cubes in a box; stacking layers fills the box.
- rectangular prism
- A solid shaped like a box, such as a cereal box or a brick.
- base
- In volume, the flat face a solid sits on; in 10³, the 10 being multiplied.
- height
- How tall a solid is, from its base to its top.
- formula
- A rule written with letters, like V = l × w × h for volume.
Want to help your child master volume?
In Bobby's Math Club, your child practices these skills at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free.
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Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
Which math standards does enVision Mathematics Grade 5 Topic 11 cover?
enVision Mathematics Grade 5 Topic 11 covers these math standards. Each one links to what it means, sample questions, and teaching strategies.
For teachers: Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence. Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow.