Parent guide · Grade 3 Math · Unit 7
Lesson 7.1 Area by Tiling
Written for the parent. Read the Say this lines aloud as they are, or in your own words. Answers for you are marked Listen for.
At a glance
- Time
- 5 sessions of 25–30 minutes
- Goal
- Find area by counting square units.
- You need
- Pencil and crayons
- A King James Bible
- Worksheet A · Worksheet B · the lesson page (it also has a short video (10:26))
Steps
Do this: Ask these out loud. Your child answers out loud; no paper needed.
- Ask: “4 × 6” Listen for: 24
- Ask: “2 × 10” Listen for: 20
- Ask: “10 × 10” Listen for: 100
- Ask: “10 × 8” Listen for: 80
- Ask: “10 × 4” Listen for: 40
Say this: “Cover the shape with squares and count them.”
Say this: “Area is written in square units, like 12 square feet.”
Say this: “Area: the number of square units that cover a shape.”
Say this: “Square unit: a square 1 unit on each side.”
Show: Each small square is 1 square unit. What is the area?
Say this: “There are 5 rows of 6 squares.”
Say this: “5 × 6 = 30”
Say this: “Area = 30 square units”
Answer: 30 square units
Show: A garden is a 11 m by 10 m rectangle with a 9 m by 6 m corner taken out for a shed. What is the area of the garden?
Say this: “Whole rectangle: 11 × 10 = 110”
Say this: “Shed corner: 9 × 6 = 54”
Say this: “110 − 54 = 56”
Answer: 56 square meters
Do this: Your child does these with you. Let them try first; help only after a real try.
Ask: Each small square is 1 square unit. What is the area?
Listen for: 6 square units
If stuck: There are 2 rows of 3 squares.
Ask: Each small square is 1 square unit. What is the area?
Listen for: 15 square units
If stuck: There are 5 rows of 3 squares.
Ask: Each small square is 1 square unit. What is the area?
Listen for: 12 square units
If stuck: There are 2 rows of 6 squares.
7 more practice items on the lesson page, and on Worksheet A and Worksheet B.
- Counting the squares around the edge only.
On graph paper, design a garden bed with an area of 24 squares. How many different rectangles can you make? Which has the shortest fence (perimeter)?
Say this: “Tell me what you learned today. Show me with your hands or the counters if you like.”
Listen for: Find area by counting square units.
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
John saw the heavenly city measured with a reed. Measuring is careful, honest work.
Fact drill. Square numbers: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100.
Spread over the week
5 sessions of 25–30 minutes. Stop while it is still going well.
- Session 1. Warm-up, then teach the new idea (steps 1 and 2).
- Session 2. Warm-up again, then show how with the examples.
- Session 3. Practice together, then play the game.
- Session 4. More practice on the worksheet, and the daily habit.
- Session 5. Quick check: narration and a few practice items. Move on when it is mostly right.