Life skills - Math in real life. Grade 7 students enjoyed a math activity which helped them grasp the concept of the total surface area of a cuboid by using everyday objects like small packets or boxes. They identified six rectangular/square surfaces and noted it's area. Finally, sum up all the six surface areas to derive the formula for the total surface area of a cuboid. This activity links classroom learning to real-life applications, such as understanding packaging design and material usage. It encourages practical thinking and reflection on how mathematics plays a role in various industries-like engineering, packaging, designing - especially in reducing costs and promoting sustainability in packaging. It helps students understand real-life applications in construction and civil work. In construction, accurate surface area calculations are essential for estimating the quantity of materials like paint, tiles, and insulation, and for calculating costs. It also aids in optimizing resource use by minimizing surface area, which leads to cost-effective and sustainable designs.