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Lesson 8: “Understanding Ratio and Proportion”

This lesson will provide you with an understanding of the content and methods
involved in teaching ratio and proportion to s in the intermediate grades. Topics such as
visualizing ratio, expressing fractions as ratio, reading and writing ratios, rates, definition of
proportion, solving for the missing term in the proportion and other relevant terms are also
presented to refine your understanding of the matter.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Describe ratio and proportion and other relevant terms
2. Recognize appropriate tools and methods in teaching ratio and proportion
3. Explain the importance of ratio and proportion in daily life.

Getting Started:
People do love to compare despite upholding the idea of equality. Truth is it happens
all the time, whether we are aware or not. Just like the fact that my age is greater than
yours, or your hair is longer than mine, or someone else’s lot is larger than yours. Can you
think of other situations where there is comparison between quantities? How do these help in
introducing the concept of ratio and proportion to children?

Discussion:
Teaching ratio to intermediate grades pupils is not that difficult since there are a lot of
examples in real life in which children can relate to. Concepts applied in real life are often
the ones that children remember the most.
As defined by most books and sources, ratio is a comparison of two or more quantities.
It tells how much of one thing there is compared to another thing like for each flashlight
there are two batteries, for every car there are four tires, and for every table there are five
chairs. To help pupils visualize the idea, take advantage of the things at hand. For example,
the number of pens you have and the number of pens the pupils have, or the ratio of the
number of boys and girls in the class, and among others. You might as well present pictures
and illustrations, or even use bar models. See the examples below.
Riley’s toys Lenard’s toys

Riley’s toy trucks Lenard’s toy boats

Ratio of kids to computers: 6:3

Ratio of computers to kids: 3:6
Note: The order of the terms in a ratio is important. The
ratio 6:3 is not the same as 3:6.
The ratio of the number of Riley’s toy trucks to the number
of Lenard’s toy boats can be written as 3:4 whereas he
ratio of the number of Lenard’s toy boats to the number
of Riley’s toy trucks is 4:3.

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It does help children understand the concept of ratios by presenting pictures and illustrations. You could cite as many examples as you like. But
besides going directly to the idea of ratio through pictures and models, why not begin the class by telling a story? Some of your pupils love to
read so might as well try it as deemed necessary. It may seem weird for grades 4 to 6 but there are a lot of stories that point out the idea of ratio
– stories that suite learners of certain age brackets (see the suggested links). Who does not like to hear stories anyway?

At this point, pupils then learn how to read and write ratios. Ratios are commonly
written in colon form. The symbol “:” is read as “is to”. For example, 2:6. This is read as “two is
to six” or “the ratio of two to six”.
Besides writing a ratio using a colon, ratios can also be expressed as a fraction and
2 2 1
vice versa – that is, 2:6 is the same as . Now, if we reduce in its simplest form, we get . In
6 6 3
2 1
ratio that is, 1:3. Since 6 is equal to 3, this means that 2:6 and 1:3 is also equal. They are called
equivalent ratios.
*Note: a ratio should be expressed in simplest form as it is with fractions.
After teaching the learners how to illustrate ratios, they are given sample exercises that
would require them to express ratios as similar quantities. Study the examples below.
The ratio of: Solution:
1. 3 days to 3 weeks 1 week = 7 days
3 (weeks) ∙ 7 days = 21 days

3
Therefore, 3 days is to 21 days or 3:21 or 21. In
1
simplest form it is 1:7 or
7

2. 8 months to 1 year 1 year = 12 months

8
Therefore, 8 months is to 12 months, or 8:12 or 12.
2
In simplest form it is 2:3 or 3

Besides learning about ratio, chidlren at this level also learn about proportion. We most
of the time hear these two concepts together. A proportion is an equality of two ratios. It is
formed by two equal ratios or two equal fractions. You may use illustrations to help them
understand the concept. I suggest you make it real. I’m sure they will relate much to it.
For example:

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Ratio = 1 egg : 2 breads Ratio = 3 eggs : 6 breads

1 3
Fraction: Fraction:
2 6
𝟏 𝟑
1:2 = 3:6 or = 𝟔 shows a proportion
𝟐
The numbers 2 and 3 are called means and the numbers 1 and 6 are called extremes.
Try to get the product of the means and the product of the extremes in the example. What
conclusion can you make? _____________________________________________________________

With these, the pupils are then presented with problems where they have to look for a
missing term in the proportion. Provide them with real life problems, such as those relevant to
current events, where they can deduce a method on how to find the missing term. For
example:
I want to donate rice to help families who are in need this quarantine. I plan to give 10
kilos of rice for each family. How many kilos of rice would I need if I decided to give rice to 55
families?________________________________________________________________________________

Allow your pupils to devise their own method on how to solve the problem. It is not that
hard to understand anyway. They may have thought of making a list of 55 families with
corresponding 10 kilos per family, add them up and then that’s it. Some may have thought
of multiplying 10 by 55. It all depends on how they decided to get the answer. The idea is
that we need to know the exact amount to ensure that each family would be given equally.

Considering technicality in teaching proportion, you can discuss about the

Multiplication Property of Equality to show an important property of all proportions.

The picture on the right shows the multiplication property

of equality that is when we multiply both sides of an
equation by the same number, the two sides remain
equal.

The products ad and bc are called the cross products

𝑎 𝑐
of the proportion 𝑏 and 𝑑 . Remember that in a
proportion, the cross products are equal.

You may think that this is kind of a bit technical. How would I make my pupils
understand this? It all goes back to how well you understand the concept. As mentioned,

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cross products of a proportion are equal. This knowledge would be the learners’ basis in
solving proportion that has a missing term. Mathematically it can be solved like this:

Example 1:
Note that you may use
either of the two methods.
Like what I said from the
previous lessons, never
force children to use a
single method. Allow
them to explore multiple
ways of solving. Who
knows? Maybe one of
your pupils will devise
new formulas and
methods in solving.

Example 2: Four small chocolate bars costs PhP 30.00. How many small chocolate bars can
be bought with PhP 45.00?
Solution:
4 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑟𝑠 ?
= Answer: 6 chocolate
𝑃ℎ𝑝 30.00 𝑃ℎ𝑝 45.00
bars can be bought with
Php 45.00

Notice that quantities being compared in a proportion must follow the same order in
both sides of the equal sign in an equation. Proper positioning is important. Make sure you
emphasize that to your pupils and provide them with appropriate practice exercises to
develop mastery of the content. Engage in writing strategies where you ask them to pick a
partner, create two to three problems of their own and let his/her partner answer. This will
also develop their sense of accountability especially for those who do not quite get it in the
first try.

Application:
Create a problem where the concept of ratio and proportion is applied in real life.
Provide an answer to that problem.

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Lesson 9: “Direct, Inverse, and Partitive Proportion:

This lesson will provide you with activities that you may use in teaching the three types
of proportion to intermediate grades. The activities mentioned will cater to different kinds of
learners considering their diverse learning styles. The technicalities in solving the three types
of proportion are also presented.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to:
1. Differentiate the three types of proportion
2. Recognize learning activities that are useful in teaching proportion
3. Solve problems about the three types of proportion

Discussion:
Teaching proportion to intermediate pupils includes its three types: that is the direct
proportion, inverse proportion, and partitive proportion. Review first the concept of
proportion before you start discussing its types. Depending on your discretion, you may want
to use games as a review to prepare the class for the lesson continuation.
If you want to cater to the children’s art ability, you may want to use the suggested
activity below. This was taken from the book Number Smart by Butaran, et. al. for grade 5
pupils.
Suggested Activity: Ask the children to bring a pencil, ruler, and bond paper. Print five
or more drawings that can be enlarged then do the following:
1. Before the class starts, you should have lightly drawn a grid of square centimeters
over the drawings you printed.
2. Divide the class into five groups. Each group will receive one of the printed
drawings.
3. On the bond paper that the children brought, ask them to make a grid of square
centimeters as well. Let them decide on the scale they want to use for enlarging
the drawing. For example, they may use 5 centimeters to represent 1 centimeter
that is with a ratio of 5:1.
4. The pupils shall then copy the part of the original drawing within each square
centimeter into the corresponding square on the larger grid.

After the activity, you may ask the pupils this question: What happens to the drawing
as the length of the side of the grid increases? Allow them to explain their point and take
note of the ideas that are common in their explanations. This will serve as a springboard for
introducing them direct proportion. Not only did you cater to learners who are good with
arts, you also encouraged those who are not that good in drawing.

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Direct proportion is also everyday math. The problems below are examples of direct
proportion. Observe and try to make a conclusion from the way the problems were solved.

Example 1:
Mother uses 10 eggs to make 6 baking pans
of leche flan. If she wants to make 15 pans
of leche flan, how many eggs should she
use?
Example 2:
A typist can finish a 200-word article in
about 5 minutes. At the same rate, about
how long will it take her to type a 5400-word
report?

10 eggs : 6 leche flan = n : 15 leche flan 200 words : 5 minutes = 5400 words : n

Therefore, mother Therefore, it will take

needs 25 eggs to make the typist 135 minutes
15 pans of leche flan. to type a 5400-word
report.

On the other hand, the following are examples of problems in inverse proportion.

Example 1: Example 2:
If 32 men can reap a field in 15 days, in A hostel has enough food for 125 students
how many days can 20 men reap the same for 16 days. How long will the food last if 75
field? more students join them?

Therefore, the food will

Therefore, it will take 24 only last for 10 days if
days for 20 men to reap 75 more students join
the same field. Them.

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What can you say about the change in quantities in a direct proportion? How about
inverse proportion? How does direct proportion and inverse proportion differ from each
other?
The notice-wonder strategy may be of help to stimulate children’s thinking of the
problem. Let them observe the process and make conclusions out of the relationships they
saw from the examples.
Besides direct and inverse proportion, the pupils are also taught the partitive
proportion. From the word itself, partitive, there will be parts – that is, the whole is divided into
parts according to the given ratios. Study the examples below:

Example 1: The sum of Php 500 is divided Example 2: Jodi filled three containers with
among three girls, Liz, Beth and Tess in a orange juice in the ratio 4:6:8. If the total
ratio 2:3:5. What is the share of each girl? amount of orange juice is 90L, find the
capacity of the three containers.

That is, the share of Liz, Beth, and Tess is The capacity of the three containers is
Php 100.00, Php 150.00, and Php 250.00, 20L, 30L, and 40L.
respectively.

At this point, word problems are given for the purpose of applying the concepts and
processes children have observed. Here are some tips in solving a problem:
1. Read
a. What information are you asked to find?
b. What information will you need to use to solve the problem?
2. Plan
a. Decide on your strategy
b. Make use of tables or other graphic organizers if necessary
3. Solve
4. Look Back
a. Think about what you did
b. Evaluate what is right or wrong
c. Repeat if the answer you get is not correct
*Note: In giving word problems, make sure that you do not just provide them with the same
pattern as with the examples. There should be a variety. Assess how the pupils understand the
problem and allow them to explore their own abilities in solving the problem.

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Lesson 10: “Understanding Percentage”

This lesson provides you with an understanding of the underlying concepts on
percentage. It includes its definition, how it can be written as a decimal and fraction, as well
as the very well-known PRB model in solving percentage, percentage of change, discount,
commission, and simple interest. Tips on problem solving are also provided so as a guide in
teaching these concepts to learners at the intermediate level.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Explain concepts related to percentage
2. Solve percent problems
3. Recognize the value of percent in real life

Getting Started:
You charge your phone when you see that its battery percentage is low. You go to
malls whenever there is a sale saying 20% or 50% discount. Loans have corresponding quote
interest in percent. Even with the situation now, authorities count the increase rate of
individuals who are infected with COVID per day. There are many applications of percent in
real life. How would you make this a starting point in introducing this concept to intermediate
grades pupils?

Discussion:
The word percent comes from the Latin “per centum” meaning out of 100. Percent
was first used in the fifteenth century for computing interest, profits, and losses. Currently it
has a much broader application as mentioned previously. The symbol %, called percent
sign, is used to indicate percent. Percent also means the ratio of a number to 100. For
example, 20% which is equal to 100 or 20:100.
20

At the intermediate grades, children learn that percent can be changed into a
decimal and a fraction. Study the examples below:
1. Changing percent to decimal 2. Changing percent to fraction
1 25 1 25 25 1
25% = 25 ∙ 100 = 100 = 0.25 25% = 25 ∙ 100 = 100 ÷ 25 = 4

(a technique often used in changing percent to decimal is to move the decimal point 2
places from right to left. )

Take note that percent and percentage is different. Percentage is the answer
obtained when we multiply a quantity by a percent. Study the example on the next page.

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Example:
Carlo has a collection of books, 75% of which are written by Filipino authors. If he has a
total of 80 books, how many of his books are written by Filipino authors?
Thus, 60 of Carlo’s
We know that 75% means
80 books are 75 per 100. But in the
written by Filipino problem, there are only 80
authors. books. With these, you
can apply what you have
learned about proportion.

In other words, 60 = 75% of 80

This can also be obtained by simply multiplying 0.75 by 80. (Note: when you multiply percent, make sure
that it is in decimal form)
That is, 0.75 × 80 = 60
60 is what we call the percentage.

At this point, children also learn about the three percentage cases: the percentage,
rate and base problems. The pyramid grid provides a visual way to set up the equation. See
the illustration below.
𝑃 𝑃
𝑃 =𝐵×𝑅 𝐵= 𝑅=
𝑅 𝐵

The key in solving for these three cases is to understand what each stand for.
Percentage as already mentioned is the answer we get by multiplying the percent to a
certain quantity, rate is the percent, and base is the quantity being multiplied to by the rate.
Study the following:
1. What number is 4% of 20? 2. 8 is what percent of 40? 3. 3.6 is 30% of what number?

R = 4% P=8 P = 3.6
B = 20 B = 40 R = 30%
P=? R=? B=?

That is, 4% of 20 is 0.8. That is, 8 is 20% of 40. That is, 3.6 is 30% of 12.

For some, the basic formula P=RB is already enough.

Just by that they can solve for the others.
Example: 30 is what percent of 150? Let us use only the formula PRB .

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With these, pupils are then presented with word problems about percent such as
finding the percent of change, discount, commission, and simple interest
Percent of Change
Percent of change can be classified as percent of increase or percent of decrease.
Observe the examples below:
1. The average rate of salary per hour is Php 350.00. If the salary increased to Php 375.00,
what is the percent of increase?
𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑦 – 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑦
Solution: 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐼𝑛𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 = × 100
𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑟𝑦

2. Lily’s cousin paid Php 985 000.00 for a car. After two years, its value had decreased to Php
810 000.00. By what percent had the car depreciate?
𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 – 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
Solution: 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐷𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 = × 100
𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

COMMON MISTAKES ALERT!!!

We most of the time encounter percent in decimal form. It is true that in dealing with decimal numbers, we often need to
round. However, it is important to realize that an inappropriate rounding at intermediate steps may cause the final
answer to be way off. The direction to “round to the nearest whole number,” “round to the nearest tenth,” and so on is
usually intended for the final answer, not intermediate steps. If somehow the pupils have to round and reenter an
intermediate value, then have them keep two or three more decimal places, at a minimum, than what is required of the
final answer (Liu, 2017).

Discounts
When an item goes on sale, the amount of the price decrease is called the discount.
The original price minus the discount is the sale price. Study the examples on the next page.

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1. Software that regularly sells for Php 600.00 is on sale for 15% off. What is the amount of the
discount?
discount = percent of discount × selling price
= 0.15 × 600.00
= 90.00

The discount is Php 90.00.

2. A pair of shoes that regularly sells for Php 490.00 is on sale for 20% off. What is the sale
price?
Method 1 Find the discount. Then find the sale price. Method 2 Find the sale price directly.

discount = percent of discount × original price sale price = (100% - 20%) × original price
= 0.20 × 490.00 = 80% × original price
= 98.00 = 0.80 × 490.00
= 392.00
sale price = original price – discount
= 490.00 – 98.00 the sale price is Php 392.00
= 392.00

The sale price is Php 392.00

Note: Sale price is also called Net price and Discounted price

Commission
When an agent sells a commodity or a set of good on behalf of another person or
company, he/she receives a certain percent of sales which is called commission. The
percent taken off from the selling price is called commission rate. See the examples below:
1. Michelle sold a van for Php 1 700 000.00 and earned Php 255 000.00 as commission. What
was the commission rate given to her?

Commission = Commission Rate × Selling Price

Php 255 000.00 = Commission Rate × Php 1 700 000.00

The commission rate given to Michelle was 15%.

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2. Mr. Santos earns a commission with a rate of 10% for every transaction. If the price of the
item he used is Php 250 000.00, how much is Mr. Santos’ commission?
Commission = Commission Rate × Selling Price
Commission = 10% × Php 250 000.00

Mr. Santos earns Php 25 000.00 commission for every transaction.

Simple Interest
Interest is the amount of money paid for the use of borrowed money. Simple interest is
a quick way to calculate the interest of a loan. The formula for simple interest is:
𝑰 = 𝒑𝒓𝒕 where 𝑰 is the interest, 𝒑 is the principal, 𝒓 is the interest rate, and 𝑡 is the time.

Principal is the sum of money being borrowed. Interest rate is the percent of the
principal you pay in addition to the principal over a time period. Interest rates are usually
calculated annually, or per year. Time is the amount of time the borrower has agreed to pay
back the loan. Observe the examples below:

1. George bought a Php 10 000.00 worth of furniture and put it on a credit card with a 15%
interest rate. He takes 3 years to pay off the loan. How much interest will George pay?
I = prt Ans: George will pay Php 4 500.00 interest.
= 10 000 × 0.15 × 3
= 4 500

2. Kelly saved Php 125 000.00 in her savings account. Her annual interest rate was 3.5%. In
four years, how much interest will Kelly’s account accumulate
I = prt
= 125 000 × 0.035 × 4 Ans: Kelly’s account will accumulate Php 17 500.00
= 17 500 interest in 4 years.
You may teach these concepts to children through a conceptual approach since the topic is a little bit technical. You may employ a
combination of mnemonics and songs or might as well use role playing and simulations so that children will appreciate more the
application of these concepts. Let them be creative and see those who have the potential in script writing and acting. Not only will they
recognize its application, they would also be able to practice solving mentally whenever they encounter these.

Children hate problem solving, but it should be presented as a challenge. Children should look forward to working with word problems
because it is the stuff they do every day. We simply have to mathematize the stuff they do every day. Children should own the problems
they solve and pose. They should tell problems about their families, their friends, their daily activities, their school and their lives. If the
problems made sense to the children, then they could make sense of the problems. (Newton, 2017). Therefore, you should provide them
with problems that are applied to their everyday lives.

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Lesson 1: “Polygons”
This lesson will provide you with methods and strategies in teaching polygons to
students at the intermediate level. It will also present the properties of polygons, congruent
and similar polygons, and other relevant terms that are necessary for elementary teachers to
understand.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Recognize methods and strategies in teaching polygons
2. Classify and illustrate polygons according to given properties
3. Explain congruent and similar polygons

Getting Started:
Learning about different figures and shapes are actually fun. Even when you were in
the elementary grades, you have probably enjoyed whenever you need to draw shapes,
identify it, or simply color it. It does not seem much like a math thing, but the fact is, it is,
especially when we deal with geometry. How can you make use of the children’s
knowledge of shapes to introduce them geometric figures particularly about polygons?

Discussion:
According to the Mathematics Framework for Philippine Basic Education, pupils at the
upper elementary grades (intermediate grades) develop better understanding of shapes
and figures because they are able to study and analyze its properties. The goal in teaching
geometry is not just to acquaint pupils with concepts relevant to it but to also develop
children’s reasoning skill. However, it is also not good to just suddenly provide them with
difficult activities. It is important to provide activities that would prepare their minds for the
lesson to be discussed to them.
At the intermediate level, the children learn more about geometric concepts besides
a point, plane, line, and angles. They begin to explore polygons. Polygons are defined as a
closed figure formed by line segments that meet only at their endpoints. It is classified
according to the number of its sides as follows:
Name of Polygon Number of Sides
Triangle 3
Quadrilateral 4
Pentagon 5
Hexagon 6
Heptagon 7
Octagon 8

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Nonagon 9
Decagon 10
Undecagon 11
Dodecagon 12
(Note: If a polygon has equal sides and equal interior angles, they are called regular polygons)

One way of increasing a child’s retention of polygons and its meaning is through a
song. There are lots of polygon chants/song available online that you may use in teaching. I
recommend using the song by Tootie’s Education Empire 2020 (see the suggested links part).
Before singing the song, the teacher encouraged the children to get anything they may use
as an instrument to go along with the song such as a shoebox, spoon, bottle, pencil, or even
to simply clap their hands and stomp their feet. Singing songs actually helps in remembering
the terms.
With this you may now go to the more technical part – discussing the properties of
polygons. Remember that the goal of teaching geometry is to develop a child’s reasoning
skill. To do that you have to provide an activity where you can assess both their reasoning skill
and their ability to observe properties.

Suggested Activity (with reference to the activity in the book Geometry Strategies for Middle
School Considerations Packet by William and Mary of the Training and Technical Assistance
Center in Williamsburg):

Create a handout that consists of at least 20 triangles of varying sizes and classification
(look for triangles that are equilateral (all sides are equal), scalene (no sides are equal),
isosceles (at least two sides are equal, acute (all angles are acute), obtuse (one of its
angles is obtuse), right (has one right angle) and equiangular (all angles are equal).

Have the pupils sort the triangles into as many sets as possible then ask them to write a
paragraph describing why they placed each triangle into the sets they made.

With this you may be able to determine their level of geometric reasoning with
accordance to van Hiele’s five developmental level of reasoning as follows:
Level 0 (Visualization): Pupils divide the triangles into sets based on size (i.e., small, medium,
and large).
Level 1 (Analysis): Pupils divide the triangles according to one characteristic, most likely
focusing on either the length of sides or the size of the angles.
Level 2 (Informal Deduction): Pupils observe more than one characteristic of the triangles. For
example, they will see that there are isosceles right triangles and scalene right triangles, or
that an isosceles triangle can be right, acute, or obtuse.

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Level 3 (Deduction): Pupils use definitions, postulates, or theorems to make connections and
to reason.
Level 4 (Rigor): Pupils grasp abstract concepts and apply them through more than one
geometric system.
Usually, the pupils will only reach level three although most would only fall on level two.
Once you determine the developmental levels of your pupils, you may now be able to
determine your instructional level. Matching your instruction to their level of understanding
would not scare children on the idea of proving and other relevant concepts in geometry in
the years to come.

Besides learning about triangles, properties of quadrilaterals are also given much
attention. A quadrilateral is a polygon with four sides. It is classified as follows:

Parallelogram – a quadrilateral with two pairs of opposite

parallel sides
Rhombus – a parallelogram with four equal sides
Rectangle – a parallelogram with four right angles with
opposite sides of equal length
Square – a rectangle with four equal angles and four
congruent sides
Trapezoid – a quadrilateral with exactly one pair of parallel
sides

See the illustration in the right. It shows the family of

quadrilaterals. It helps in answering questions like, “is a
square always a rectangle?”. You probably are asking what
the answer is. Yes! A square is always a rectangle since it will always satisfy the property of
the rectangle having four right angles. In a much lighter justification, it is under the rectangle.

The following are some strategies and methods that you can use in teaching the
properties of quadrilaterals.
1. Manipulatives – geo strips can help pupils discover the properties of quadrilaterals
2. Jigsaw Method – this may be used to further explore special types of quadrilaterals. See
the following steps:
a. Divide the class into groups of 4. Within each group assign a child to be a
rectangle, square, rhombus, or trapezoid.
b. The “expert” from each group will leave their home group and meet together with
the experts from other groups (for example, all rectangles will meet in a corner)

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c. Provide each group with a guided activity to explore their shape and learn its
properties. The group must come to a consensus on the properties and feel
confident that they can teach these properties to their home teams.
d. The “expert” group for each figure should prepare examples, diagrams, properties,
and three questions to share with their home teams.
e. After the allotted time, the pupils return to their home teams to share their
knowledge with their respective groups.
3. Venn Diagrams – this is an excellent method for displaying the shared as well as unique
properties for each type of quadrilateral.
4. Vocabulary enhancement – this is a group game that focuses on the properties of each
quadrilateral. The teacher can do following:
a. Divide the class into groups for 4 pupils.
b. Provide each group with a construction bag containing items such as straws,
toothpicks, tiles to show right angles, and play dough.
c. Provide each pupil with a card that contains the description of one of the
quadrilaterals studied.
d. Each child must use the items in the bag to construct the quadrilateral on his or her
card, making it identifiable to others in the group.
e. Using their definitions, the pupils must justify the construction of the figures.

Upon understanding the properties of these polygons, children are then taught the
idea of congruence and similarity. You may begin the lesson by giving them this activity:

Create a handout on which is printed two figures like the one below. Let them
measure the sides and the angles. Afterwards ask them this question: “What can you
say about their corresponding sides and angle?”
D X W
C

Y
A B Z
*Note: corresponding sides and angles are sides and angles that are in the same position in
two or more polygons
Try measuring the sides and angles of the figure above yourself. What can you say?

If polygons have corresponding sides and angles that are equal to each other then
they are congruent. Thus, polygon ABCD is congruent to polygon WXYZ. The symbol “≅” is
read as “is congruent to”.

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On the other hand, two polygons are similar if their corresponding sides are
proportional and the corresponding angles are congruent. Study the examples below:

Example 1. If the two polygons below are similar, what is the measure of the missing side?

Solution:

. Thus,
Answer: The measure of the
missing side is 1cm.

Example 2. Determine if the two polygons are similar.

Solution:
(you can use just one pair of
corresponding sides)

Answer: Since the corresponding

Remember that similar polygons require that
sides are not proportional, the
their corresponding sides be “proportional”
two polygons are not similar.
that is the cross products should be equal.

Notice that the topics that have been discussed are applied to a different problem.
This just shows that it is vital to build both a conceptual and procedural understanding for
each lesson. Otherwise, the pupils will really have a hard time in the years to come making
them feel negative about the subject itself. It is your role to make learning math more
meaningful and interesting. Remember, all these are but basic knowledge they ought to
learn and must retain even as the years go by.

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Lesson 2: “Circles”
This lesson will present you the concepts that learners at the intermediate level should
learn about circles like the terms related to it as well as how to draw a circle using a
compass. The lesson will also provide activities that may help you in teaching the concepts
to intermediate grades as well as the common mistakes to avoid in teaching it.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Recognize methods and activities in teaching about circles
2. Identify and illustrate the different parts of a circle
3. Explain why a circle is not a polygon

Discussion:
According to the Most Essential Learning Competencies released by DepEd,
intermediate grade pupils are expected to be able to identify terms related to a circle as
well as to draw circles with different radii using a compass. The idea itself is not that difficult
to understand. In fact, the pupils may actually find the lesson fun to do as well as
challenging.
Before you begin the class, here is a suggested activity.

1. Look for a video or short film about cars. (You may use this link https://youtu.be/zfC_GuHiP68
if you cannot find something that you think would interest your pupils. This is Pixar’s short film
collection entitled Mike’s New Car. You may also use a clip from the Disney Pixar’s movie, Cars)

2. After the short film, ask them the following questions:

a. Cars have wheels. What are the wheels for?
b. Why are wheels circular in shape?
c. Does it make sense if the wheels of a car are triangular or rectangular in shape?

(If the short film that you get has a moral story, do not forget to teach that as well to your pupils. It makes
learning more meaningful and worth it.)

This activity may serve as a jumpstart for you in presenting them the concept of
“circles”. With this, you may then proceed to teaching them the terms related to circles,
specifically its basic parts. It would be best, of course, to have an instructional material made
beforehand. Be creative but not too much. Remember that children at grades 4-6 enter their
adolescent years – years that are marked by a lot of psychological and physical changes.
So too much of the “kids’ stuff” sometimes would make them feel shy or for others,
embarrassed. However, it still depends on how well you know your pupils. Teach in whatever
way you see fit.

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Now, a circle is defined as a closed plane figure made up of points that have the
same distance from a point called a center. Study the
examples below: COMMON MISTAKE ALERT!
After teaching triangles, rectangles, and
Example 1. Refer to the figure at the right. hexagons, Ma’am Jane moved on to
a. Name the circle circles. Wanting to make a connection to
b. Identify the diameter the shapes her children had already
c. Identify two radii learned, Jane brought up the number of
d. Identify two chords sides a shape has as a starting point. She
said, “A triangle has three sides, a
rectangle has four sides, a pentagon has
Answers:
five sides, and so on. But a circle has zero
a. 𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑂
sides.”
b. ̅̅̅̅
𝑅𝑃
c. 𝑂𝑅
̅̅̅̅ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑂𝑃
̅̅̅̅
Recall that a polygon is defined as a closed
d. 𝑅𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅𝑃
̅̅̅̅ ̅̅̅̅ plane figure formed by line segments that
meet at a common endpoint. These line
segments are what we call the “sides” of
Example 2. Refer to the figure at the right.
the polygon. A circle, in contrast, is NOT
a. Identify a secant.
composed of line segments (sides), and
b. Identify a tangent thus it does not fall in the family of
c. Identify the point polygons. So “the number of sides a circle
of tangency has” is in itself improper to say because
“side” is not a feature attributed to circles.
Answers: Although it is not technically wrong to say,
a. 𝑋𝑌
⃡ “a circle has 0 sides”, this statement is not
b. Line l extremely thorough and exact.
c. Point R

FUN FACT: The word “secant” is actually not pronounced as “se-kant” but “see-kant”. Most children would
pronounce the former. It is important to teach them too how to correctly pronounce mathematical terms.
REMINDER: A line segment is different from a line. A line extends on both directions whereas a line segment has
two endpoints. Be sure to let your pupils observe the difference between the two.

Upon learning these concepts, children are then taught how to draw a circle using a
compass with a given measure of its radius. To do this, pupils should have been asked to
bring a ruler the day before the topic will be discussed.
Step 1. Use the ruler to set the distance from the point of the compass to the pencil’s lead at
whatever measure of the radius you have given (for example, 5cm)
Step 2. Place the point of the circle at the center of the circle.
Step 3. Draw the circle by turning the compass 360º.

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Lesson 3: “Solid Figures”

This lesson will present the different solid figures that are discussed in the intermediate
level. It will also provide you with activities that you may use in teaching these. It is expected
that as you see the topic’s relevance to real life, you will also be able to inculcate this to your
pupils in the years to come.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students shall be able to:
1. Recognize activities that are helpful in teaching solid figures
2. Identify real life examples of solid figures
3. Explain the importance of understanding the concept of solid figures

Discussion:
Besides learning about flat surfaces and plane figures, intermediate grades pupils also
learn about three-dimensional figures. A solid figure is a three-dimensional figure - meaning
they have length, width, and height. It also has depth and takes up space. They are also
called spatial or space figures because they are figures whose points do not lie on a single
plane. To make learning about solid figures fun and active, consider the activity below as a
jumpstart in your discussion about solid figures.

Suggested Activity: Solid Figure Scavenger Hunt (Idea was taken from BrainPOP Educators
and Scholastic website. I merged activities from both websites. For more activities, check on the
suggested links part.)

1. Prepare beforehand a list of solid figures that can be found in your school (for example,
cereal boxes, dice, Toblerone, marbles, rubics cube, soccer ball, ice cream cone, etc.) If you
wish to create one or bring some items from your home, you may do so.
2. Hide the items in areas of the school where others would not be bothered especially if
there are other classes.
3. Group pupils of five members each. Then give each group a list of the items you
prepared.
4. Within 30 minutes, each group shall look for the items.
5. Whoever has the greatest number of items, wins the game.

Option: If the pupils and school possess a more advanced technology, ask the children to
capture photos of the items you asked them to look for. You may also use some statements like
“find a shape that rolls and has two faces.” Whichever you think is appropriate for yours pupils.

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At the intermediate grades, children are asked to identify how many faces, vertices,
bases, or edges a solid figure has. The flat surfaces of a solid figure are its faces. The base is
the face on which the figure rests. The edge of a solid figure is the line segment where two
faces meet. A vertex (plural: vertices) is the corner that is formed where the ends of the line
segments of two or more faces meet. The following are examples of solid figures.

Prism
Is a polyhedron with exactly two faces that are congruent and parallel. The most
common prism known is the triangular prism and the rectangular prism.
a. Triangular Prism
This prism has five faces - two of which
are triangles and three are rectangles.

It has 6 vertices and 9 edges.

Its base is a rectangle.

b. Rectangular Prism

This is a cube. These two are called cuboid. They also have 6 faces.
All its 6 faces are square. Usually, its faces are rectangles. But some have 2 faces
It has 8 vertices. that are squares and 4 faces that are rectangles.

Pyramid
It is a polyhedron with one base. It is named depending on the shape of its base.

This is called a triangular- This is called a square-based This is called a rectangular-

based pyramid. It has four pyramid. It has four triangular based pyramid. It has four
triangular faces. faces and one square face. triangular faces and one
rectangular face.

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The faces of the prism and pyramid are flat surfaces called polygonal regions that is why they are called
polyhedrons. Whereas a cylinder, cone, and sphere do not have polygonal regions making them not polyhedrons.

Cylinder Cone Sphere

A sphere has
A cylinder
A cone has no flat surface.
has three
two faces – It is a set of all
faces. Two of points in space
one is a
which is a at a given
circle, the
circle, and distance from a
other is a
one is a given point in
curved face.
curved face. the sphere.

Application:
There are a lot of products that are packaged in different containers that take on the
figures presented above. What are the advantages of packaging such products in such
containers? (like sardines in a cylindrical container)

Summary of the Lesson:

A solid figure is a three-dimensional figure - meaning they have length, width, and
height. It also has depth and takes up space. Examples of solid figures are prisms, pyramids,
cones, cylinders, and spheres. Intermediate grade pupils often are asked to count how
many vertices, faces, bases, and edges a certain solid figure has. You may employ activities
like a scavenger hunt to make learning about solid figures more active.

Assessment:
1. Write three real-life examples for each solid figure discussed in this lesson.
Solid Figure Ex.1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3
1. Triangular Prism
2. Cuboid
3. Cube
4. Cone
5. Cylinder
6. Sphere

2. A decagon is a ten-sided polygon. How many faces, edges, and vertices will a pyramid
with a decagonal base have? Illustrate the figure.

No. of faces _________ No. of edges _________ No. of vertices _________

Learning Module on Teaching Math in the Intermediate Grades