There is no good way to teach/test on surface area and volume of 3D figures - at least, none that I could think of, steal from someone on twitter, or find online - without just doing the problems. I wasn't trying to be a Nazi about it. I let the kids have a notecard with all their equations on it. All they had to do was pick the right equation, put the numbers in and solve. The test was a whole 6 questions - 6 shapes, and all they had to do was find the volume/surface area for each one. I then had an extra credit question where they had to find volume.
This is the test from hell.
I've spent 4 hours grading these hellish things... and I'm not finished. I don't want to just mark off a number and move on, because I want to see where they're making mistakes. Is it something I taught wrong, a small math error, or a complete lack of understanding on the part of the student? The kids are going to correct these tomorrow, and I want to give them direction as to what they need to do to make the corrections.
But it's killing me. I don't know what I could do differently though.
The worst part is seeing my copy of 60'6" sitting on the table... wishing I would pick it up to read some Gibby goodness. Cruel tease.
If it makes you feel better, I haven't had a chance to read this weekend either!
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