The volume of a sphere
I can calculate the volume of a sphere.
The volume of a sphere
I can calculate the volume of a sphere.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The volume of a sphere can be found by displacement.
- Putting a sphere into a cylinder filled with water displaces the water.
- When the sphere is removed, the water level drops.
- The volume of the sphere is the difference between the volume of the cylinder and water.
- There is a formula you can use to calculate the volume of a sphere.
Keywords
Sphere - A sphere is a 3D shape, where every point on its surface is equidistant from the centre.
Common misconception
Pupils may multiply the radius of the sphere by the constant before cubing it.
Remind pupils of the order of operations and the need to cube the radius before multiplying by the constants in the formula.
To help you plan your year 11 maths lesson on: The volume of a sphere, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 maths lesson on: The volume of a sphere, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 maths lessons from the 2D and 3D shape: surface area and volume (pyramids, spheres and cones) unit, dive into the full secondary maths curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Diameter of sphere = 10 cm -
100𝜋
Radius of sphere = 4 cm -
64𝜋
Radius of sphere = 3 cm -
36𝜋
Diameter of sphere = 1 cm -
𝜋
Radius of sphere = 2 cm -
16𝜋
Diameter of sphere = 2 cm -
4𝜋


Exit quiz
6 Questions
