Unit 2, Lesson 2
¿Cómo medimos el área?
Grado 3
Preparation
Lesson Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to use square tiles to build shapes and to measure area.
Lesson Narrative
Previously, students compared the areas of shapes informally—by cutting out and overlaying the shapes, by observing whether one shape would fit into another, and by covering the shapes with pattern blocks and comparing the numbers of blocks used.
In this lesson, students learn that squares can be used to measure area: by tiling all of the shape. Each square represents one unit of area, or one square unit. Inch tiles are used, but are referred to as “fichas cuadradas” // “square tiles” with students to emphasize how the tiles are used to measure square units. Students learn that shapes that don’t have specific names can be referred to as “figuras” // “figures.”
In the next lesson, students will take a closer look at square tiles that overlap.
Provide inch tiles for students to use during the Cool-down.
- Engagement
None
- Comprehend (in spoken and written language) the term “area” as the amount of space covered by a shape.
- Use square tiles to measure the area of a figure and express the area as a number of “square units.”
- Usemos fichas cuadradas para medir el área.
Required Preparation
Activity 1
- Each group of 4 students needs 80 square tiles.
Activity 2
- Each group of 2 students needs 80 square tiles.
Teacher Reflection Questions
What ideas and experiences do students have about area? How did they influence students' work?
Have a correction or suggestion?
Tell us about a typo, a broken link, or an improvement you’d like to see. We read every submission but can’t reply.
Have a question or need support instead? Visit our Contact Us page to reach our team.