Below is quick list of important concepts and fun ideas that can be used when you start teaching area!
Teaching Area!
Discussion of Attributes
Compare
o Example- Game: Rapid Fire- Ask a student to name an object with a larger area than your desk. Next, popcorn around the class and ask individual students to name objects or things with a larger area than what was just said.
o Use different shaped objects such as a blob or circles, rather than always using rectangles or squares.
Estimating
o Start with non-standard units
§ Tiling- Give students all available non-standard units to cover a flat surface in order to find the area
§ Iteration- Give one non-standard unit and they have to repeat use of that one unit to make a measurement
* Don't forget* When measuring with standard and non-standard units, use:
Progression of Formulas for Teaching Area of Shapes
** Use base/height, rather than length/width (length= base, width= height) It makes for a seamless transition when you start finding the area of other shapes!
1. Rectangles - base x heights
2. Parallelograms- base x (perpendicular) height
3. Triangles- 1/2 bxh
4. Trapezoids- remember that ridiculous formula we all learned in school?: (b1+b2)h/ 2- well FORGET IT. Teach this strategy to your kiddos instead:
- Cut the trapezoid in half, so you are left with two triangles. Then, find the area of the triangles using the formula 1/2 bxh and add them together!
5. Circle- ∏ r^2
Teaching Area!
Discussion of Attributes
Compare
o Example- Game: Rapid Fire- Ask a student to name an object with a larger area than your desk. Next, popcorn around the class and ask individual students to name objects or things with a larger area than what was just said.
o Use different shaped objects such as a blob or circles, rather than always using rectangles or squares.
Estimating
o Start with non-standard units
§ Tiling- Give students all available non-standard units to cover a flat surface in order to find the area
§ Iteration- Give one non-standard unit and they have to repeat use of that one unit to make a measurement
* Don't forget* When measuring with standard and non-standard units, use:
- Same size units
- No gaps
- No overlaps
Progression of Formulas for Teaching Area of Shapes
** Use base/height, rather than length/width (length= base, width= height) It makes for a seamless transition when you start finding the area of other shapes!
1. Rectangles - base x heights
2. Parallelograms- base x (perpendicular) height
3. Triangles- 1/2 bxh
4. Trapezoids- remember that ridiculous formula we all learned in school?: (b1+b2)h/ 2- well FORGET IT. Teach this strategy to your kiddos instead:
- Cut the trapezoid in half, so you are left with two triangles. Then, find the area of the triangles using the formula 1/2 bxh and add them together!
5. Circle- ∏ r^2