Summary
The lesson focuses on solving for perimeter and area of composite figures. Students will explore area and perimeter using pattern blocks to create unusual shapes, and then try to calculate the areas of these shapes. Next, students will learn about the real-life application of mathematics by watching a video about life as an architect. Students will then step into the role of an architect, creating the floor plans of their dream homes using basic shapes before calculating the area and perimeter of their peers' floor plans. This lesson includes optional modifications for distance learning. Resources for use in Google Classroom are included.
Essential Question(s)
How can I use formulas to find the area and perimeter of an object with an unusual shape? How do the dimensions of a figure affect area and perimeter?
Snapshot
Engage
Students complete the "What I Know" and "What I Want to Know" columns of an area and perimeter KWL chart.
Explore
Students use pattern blocks to find the area and perimeter of one of three unusual shapes.
Explain
Students explain how they arrived at the area and perimeter of each unusual shape. As a class, they learn and work through the formula for the area of a trapezoid.
Extend
Students create a house floor plan using rectangles, triangles, circles, and trapezoids. Students find the area and perimeter of their floor plans.
Evaluate
Students pass their floor plans to their group members, and then find the areas and perimeters of other students' floor plans.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
KWL Chart handouts (attached, one per student)
Student Record Sheet handouts (attached, one per pair of students)
Rulers
Pattern blocks (optional)
Design a House handouts (attached, one per student)
Sticky notes
Colored pencils or similar art supplies (optional)
Google Classroom (optional)
Engage
Use the attached Lesson Slides to guide the lesson. Begin with slide 2 and introduce the essential questions to students: How can you use formulas to find the perimeter and area of an object with an unusual shape? How do the dimensions of a figure affect the perimeter and area? Move to slide 3 to share the lesson objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to find the perimeter and area of composite figures using both pattern blocks and architecture designs.
Go to slide 4. Introduce students to the KWL Graphic Organizer strategy to activate prior knowledge about perimeter and area. Give each student a copy of the attached KWL Chart handout. Have students complete the K ("What I Know") and W ("What I Want to Know") columns. Ask volunteers to share a few things they wrote and facilitate a brief class discussion. Document what students share on a class chart.
Explore
Move to slide 5. Sort students into pairs, and give each pair a set of pattern blocks, one copy (including all three unique shapes) of the attached Student Record Sheet handout, and a ruler. Invite students to create block figures based on the pictures. After they create their figures with the pattern blocks, have students use rulers to measure the figures. Students should record the perimeter and area of each figure on their handout. Formulas for calculating the perimeters and areas of various shapes are included on the slide as reminders.
Explain
On slides 6-8, review the "butterfly," "lollipop," and "fish" pictures as a class and invite students to explain how they solved for each picture. Solicit a few answers from different members of the class to compare answers.
Move to slide 9. Using the diagram on the slide, show students how to solve for the area of a trapezoid with the provided formula. Select numbers to represent a, b, and h, and then work a sample problem with the students using those numbers. It is likely that students calculated the area of trapezoids in the Explore by splitting them into two triangles and a rectangle, but now they have a single calculation—as opposed to three—to arrive at the same answer.
Go to slide 10. Invite students to retrieve their KWL Charts and complete the L ("What I Learned") column. Allow enough time for students to do so, and then invite volunteers to share what they learned. As with the Engage part of the activity, document what students share on your class chart.
Ask students if they can think of a real-life scenario in which they could use what they learned about area and perimeter. Solicit a few answers from the class. Transition into the next activity by telling students that one real-life application for perimeter and area is in architecture and that they will be using area and perimeter to design their dream homes.
Extend
Go to slide 11. Use the video link on the slide (or here), or the embedded version of the video below to show students the video "I Wanna Be an Architect: A Day In The Life Of An Architect."
Move to slide 12. Give each student a copy of the attached Design a House handout and a sticky note. Invite students to step into the role of an architect to design a floor plan for their dream house. This floor plan should use the following shapes: rectangles, squares, triangles, trapezoids, and circles. Allow students to create their designs. Ask students to find the area and perimeter of their entire floor plan they design and write those calculations on their sticky notes (not on the Design a House handout).
Evaluate
Move to slide 13. Organize students into groups of three, and tell them they will now calculate the dimensions of their peers' floor plans by using the Pass the Problem strategy.
For the first round, ask students to pass their floor plans to the group member to their right and find the perimeter of the design they received. Allow enough time for students to do so.
For the second round, ask students to pass to the right again and this time find the area of the design they received.
For the third round, ask students to pass to the right again. Students should now be holding their original designs. During this round, ask students to check the answers of their group members.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). KWHL Graphic Organizer. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/d9908066f654727934df7bf4f505dd47
K20 Center. (n.d.). Pass the Problem. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/d9908066f654727934df7bf4f506c28b
K20 Center. (n.d.). Google Classroom. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/628
K20 Center. (n.d.). Canva. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/612
Student Edge. (2014, May 13). I wanna be an architect - A day in the life of an architect [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/asdgRAjGK-M