Lesson One
Grade/Content Mathematics: Foundations of Area
Area
Grade 3
Lesson Title
From Shapes to Squares!
Standards
Math (Common Core)
Common Core CCSS.Math.Content.3.MD.C.5a
or GLE/GSE
A square with side length 1 unit, called a unit square, is said to
(state level)
have one square unit of area, and can be used to measure area.
AND
CCSS.Math.Content.3.MD.C.6
National
Measure area by counting unit squares.
Standards
CCSS.Math.Content.3.MD.C.7a
Find the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths by
tiling it, and show that the area is the same as would be found by
multiplying the side lengths.
Context of the
Students have already been using manipulatives to determine the
Lesson
areas of different shapes. They have analyzed how shapes with
different appearances can have the same amount of a manipulative fill
them and created different shapes with a set type and number of
manipulatives.
Now that the students have had the opportunity to use
manipulatives to discover area, they will begin transferring that
knowledge over to paper and using grids to further develop their
understanding of area.
This lesson should take approximately 45 minutes, however it
could take more or less time depending on how students seem to
understand the lesson.
This lesson is based off of the Engage NY curriculum (which is
used by the school that I am working in).
Opportunities
The students will begin by using their individual whiteboards to
to Learn
solve a problem related to what they did in the previous lesson. The
students in this class seem to always enjoy using their whiteboards so
if I can begin with this step, students will show interest in succeeding;
when they have used their whiteboards in the past, the students have
shown greater interest in the lesson and they also seem to be more
motivated to get through the problems.*
The students will be building on the knowledge that they have
gained through the earlier lessons on area. Since we will be building
on and furthering their knowledge by asking the students to work with
the early knowledge that theyve been building on, but still gradual
enough that they are able to do a lot of the work themselves with some
Objectives
Instructional
Procedures
guidance. For the students who are a little bit more ahead, this lesson
will allow them to begin to recognize that the number of units on each
side is directly linked to the length of the side.*
Students will be doing work as a whole group, individually, and in
small groups. This allows the students to work through problems
alone and with one another to help each other when a group member is
struggling. In addition, while walking around, I will be able to point
out and assist students further.*
For this lesson, I will be creating a sheet where the problems build
on one another. The students will use their whiteboards to start off the
lesson, and then we will move onto a worksheet, and finish with an
exit ticket. I will need copies of the worksheet, exit ticket and a half
sheet of each centimeter and inch grid paper (photocopied onto the
same page for comparison purposes). For my own use, I will use the
SmartBoard and/or the Elmo projector in the room to work through the
problems in sequence with the students.*
Students will be able to:
Manipulate unit squares to form different rectangles that will
create a given area.
Model tiling with centimeter and inch unit squares as a strategy
to measure area.
Count the number of squares in a rectangle to determine the area
of a rectangle.
Recreate given rectangles on inch and centimeter grid paper that
have the same side lengths.
Identify that two rectangles have the same area regardless of the
size of the unit squares.
Opening (10-15% of lesson):
To activate students prior knowledge, I will put up a problem
similar to what they did in the day before for them to do on their
whiteboards.
v Each is 1 square unit. Find the area of the
rectangle below (2 tall by 12 long equals 24 square
units). Then draw another rectangle with the same
number of square units.
As the students solve the problem they will hold their boards up
to show that they have an accurate solution. When we regroup,
the students will share some of the solutions that they came up
with. (1x24, 3x8, 4x6).
Today we will work on similar problems, but on grid paper of
Assessment
different sizes. We are going to learn about the size of the
squares and how to connect them to areas.
Engagement (60-70% of lesson):
After working through each problem individually, I will have the
class discuss their answers in their math groups and talk through
the problems. This will help them verbalize why they believe
their opinion and will also allow other students to help correct
one anothers misconceptions.
v As students are discussing, I will be walking around asking
students further questions about the size of the squares and
whether or not changing the size of the squares will change
the area as well.
v If I see during the discussion that there are multiple students
having difficulties with a problem, I will address the specific
problem as a class and facilitate student discussion to have
students solve the problem out loud before they begin writing
it down on their sheet. After they see that they are able to
answer the problem out loud, they will be less likely to be
intimidated by doing the same problem on paper.
Throughout the lesson, I will ask students individually if the area
of the rectangles is the same, more, or less than another
rectangles area. The students will also compose rectangles of
the same area on both centimeter and inch grid paper, so I will
question the students as to whether or not they have the same
area and what makes them different.
Closure (20-25% of lesson):
At the end of the lesson we will regroup and talk about whether
or not the size of the squares changes the area of a rectangle.
We will also discuss if there is only one way to make a
rectangle with a specific area. These two points will assure that
the students have understood the major points of the lesson.
To conclude, the students will complete an exit ticket to
determine their complete understanding of the lesson. The exit
ticket will be submitted at the end of the lesson and returned to
them by the start of the next lesson.
Throughout the lesson, I will be asking the students questions
and walking around the room to assure that they understand the
lesson.
At the end of the lesson, students will be presented with an exit
ticket that will be graded to determine their understanding of
the major points of the lesson. The grids provided on the exit
ticket will have centimeter squares. The exit ticket will have
two questions:
v Each is 1 square unit. Write the area of Rectangle
A (3 tall by 4 long equals 12 square units). Then
draw another rectangle with the same area in the
space provided.
Underneath the question, a grid will be provided
that shows Rectangle A and empty space for
students to draw another rectangle. A blank will
also be provided that says Area = _________
v Each is 1 square unit. Does this rectangle have the same
area as Rectangle A? Explain.
Underneath the question, a grid will show another
rectangle. The rectangle will be 3 long and 5 tall
equaling 15 square units, so no the rectangle does not
have the same area because this rectangle has a larger
area.
This will be graded on a check system and given back to the
students by the beginning of the next days lesson.
v A P- will indicate that a student has no knowledge of what
he/she is being asked to do. The student will either have
nothing written or will have something written that shows no
understanding of the lesson.
v A P will indicate that a student appears to understand what
they have learned. The student will have two of the three
pieces of the questions on the exit ticket correct.
v A P+ will indicate that a student has complete knowledge of
what he/she is being asked to do. The student will have all
questions answered fully and prove that they understand the
lesson.
