An Area of Paradise

Finding the Area
by: Teacher RescuePosted on:

An Area of Paradise

Area

I love hands on activities and this one is among my favorite.  It’s a fun and an engaging hands on activity that will help students understand the concept of area. I also love all things ocean, beach, and turquoise waters. So I thought it would be fun to use rectangles as islands. As seen in the picture, the rectangles are the islands, and the students need to find how much of their island area can they make into paradise.

Materials

  • Colored card stock cut into a variety of rectangular measurements. I cut mine in the following sizes: (5) 5 x 7, (5)4 x 6, (5)3 x 5 . You may use mine as seen in the picture, or come up with your own.
  • Pencil for each student
  • Lined paper or blank paper to record their answers
  • Colored 1 inch side square tiles. You can purchase these or make your own out of colored card stock or construction paper.

First divide your class into groups. I would recommend 4 to 5 students in a group.  Next, pass out a container of 1 inch square tiles to each group.  Then, pass out a rectangle to each group, and a blank piece of paper to each student. Each group should be working on a rectangle with the same measurements. Review how area is finding how many squares of a certain size cover a surface.  Explain that they will work as a group to see how many 1 inch square tiles it takes to cover the rectangular shapes. Now, have students work together covering the rectangle with the square tiles. Once finished with each one, ask “How many square tiles are going across the top left to right?” Followed by asking, “How square tiles are going down the side?” Write these numbers on the board in a multiplication formula. Students solve the problem, and record the formula and answer on their paper.  Explain that the number of tiles on the longest side going left to right is the length. Then, the number of tiles on the shortest side is the width. The formula for area is length x width (L x W = A).

At this point, you maybe already learning multiplication. If facts are not yet memorized this is good to review, and learn how to apply multiplication to a real life situation. Have fun!