Activity

Method (Leecy’s 5 P’s)

Introduce Objective: Measure the material  needed to cover the  several areas in the home.

Preparation (P1)

State the objective. Discuss the purpose of computing the area of spaces in the home (buying carpets, materials for windows, paint, etc…). Show pictures of different objects to be measured. Pass out  block of wood or cardboard cut-outs for students to feel.  Ask students for stories relating to the activity. Have students imagine the aerial views of crops filling rectangular  areas on the surface of the earth. How would you measure such spaces and why would you want to do it?

Discuss vocabulary: area, distance, length, measure, measurement, perimeter, rectangle, square measure, width

Show images to match words and drill students on the meaning of each word. Fill in spaces for area. Outline spaces with colored markers for perimeter. Show figures in different colors and dimensions. Have students drill each other. For verbs ask, “What am I (or someone else) doing? (Measuring length/width). Make a sound for length (“bing”) and another for width (“boing”). Make a swishing sound for area and a clicking sound for perimeter.  Relate color and sound to concepts.

Have students write and spell the words. Have students write sentences with the words, combining as many as possible in a sentence. Compare results.

Presentation (P2)

Use the image of an actual foot for 12 inches (12 inch-worms?). Show 3 images of feet covering someone’s back yard for a yard.  Get the idea? Use as many images as possible to get across the idea of measuring distances.

Establish the meaning of area.

Walk around the outside of a space or run your finger around it. Then walk around inside the space or color it in to show the idea of filled-in spaces. Keep using the swishing and clicking sounds as you perform the exercise.

Practice (P3) (You practice with student's help)

You model the action/sound and students respond appropriately. Walk around the room and use your feet to estimate the width and length of the room.

Practice (P4) (Student practices with your help)

Students draw figures and either color the outside or fill in the inside for perimeter and area.  Students walk around the room and estimate measurements.

Performance (P5) (Students perform without your help)

Have students work with each other doing the same thing. Have them estimate length and width of classroom objects.

Establish that area is measured in square units.  

(P2) -Limit your presentation to squares and rectangles.  Show the picture of a table top or other space and draw in the squares. Have a jigsaw with square pieces to fit it.

(P3)  - Draw another object and have student guess how many squares will fit. Compare guesses to outcome. Give students word problems and have them help you solve them on the board or other screen.

(P4)  - Student use gridded paper and draw rectangles and squares, counting the squares inside. Write down the area of each figure.

Demonstrate adding the total number of squares and/or multiplying the two numbers.

(P2) – Use an overhead or other visual to show figures filled with squares. Count the squares along the length and along the width. Count the squares inside. Compare the totals. They are the same. Give students the formula of  A = L X W (Squared) and show them how to write squared numbers. Show them how to write the Perimeter formula as well: P = L + W  

(P3)  – Show a different figure and have students tell you what the area is. Ask them how to write the results based on the formula. Ask them what the perimeter is and write the results. Provide word problems and have students help you solve them.

(P4) – Show another figure and have students tell you what the area and perimeter are by using the formula. Give them a problem to solve with your help.

Apply formulas

(P5) - Give students handouts or use the overhead/computer with five exercises to solve. Include word problems. Let them work together if they wish.

Explain Homework

Model a picture of a floor plan and have students help you come up with the total area of the house.

Review

Use as many different learning approaches as possible

Handout 2M19 floor plan with filled-in measurements (below)

(P5)  Provide clear instructions on what you expect students to do.