Volume Zoo Project

This is a four part STEM project that incorporates several of the fifth grade math & science standards. Time allowance is one-two weeks. Students are given the opportunity to research an animal (preferably an endangered species). They are then to partner with another student and decide which animal they would like to build out of boxes, essentially creating a "piñata". Once constructed students should work together to calculate the volume of each body part and the total volume of their animal determining how much candy would fit inside. As a fourth part, students can create a five page slideshow and share a five minute presentation on their research.