Grade 3 Mathematics Unit Plan

Title of Unit: Area of Rectangles and Squares

Goals of Unit:
 To understand the meaning of area as the size of space a 2-dimensional
object takes up.
 To measure the areas of squares and rectangles using both arbitrary
and square units.
 To measure the areas of squares and rectangles by using a formula.

Plan of Unit (Total 5 lessons)

1. Recall prior knowledge (1 day)
2. Comparing areas using arbitrary units (1 day)
3. Comparing areas using square units (1 day)
4. Finding area by using a formula (2 days)

(Note: Resource is Tokyo Shoseki Mathematics for Elementary School textbook.)

Lesson Goal of Lesson Resource Learning Activities

No. &
Date
1 To review prior 1. What do you know about
knowledge needed rectangles and squares?
7/16 to engage effectively
in this unit of study. 2. These dots are arranged in a
 Attributes of rectangular array. How can we
rectangles and find the number of dots?
squares
 Perimeter of 3. Let’s find the perimeter of
polygons rectangles and other polygons.
 Multiplication
involving arrays Using the given dimensions.
Using a ruler to measure the sides.
2 Understand that the G1 p. 80 4. Introduction
size of space of the
7/17 sheets can be G4B pp. 22- Which of the two picnic sheets has
compared directly 23 the larger area? How can we find
by overlapping, and out? (Which takes up more space?)
indirectly by tracing
the space and 5. Posing the problem
placing it on top of
the other. Which newsletter has the larger
area? (Unlike the picnic sheets, we
Know that the term cannot move the newspaper to
 area is used for the overlap the shapes.)
size of the space
that covers 2 6. Discussion/Summary
dimensional shapes.
Teacher guides students to
Understand that understand that the area can be
area can be compared by using an arbitrary unit.
compared by using
an arbitrary unit.
3 Understand that G4B pp. 22- 1. Posing the problem
area can be 24
7/18 compared by using a Which of the following shapes, the
square unit. rectangle or the square, has the
larger area, and by how much?

Think about a way to express how

large they are.

2. Discussion/Summary

By contrasting students’ solutions

including the misunderstanding,
teacher guides them to understand
the size of area can be expressed
using numbers by setting up a unit
square.

The advantage of using numbers to

express the area is for us to easily
compare and show how much the
area is and how much different.

It is also important to emphasized

that measuring the perimeter does
not help us compare the areas.
4 Understand square G4B pp. 24- 1. Introducing the formal unit of
cm and square in. 25 area measurement
7/19
Deepen
understanding of
 area units by
creating shapes on a
grid.
3. Find area in cm2 of shapes on a
grid (worksheet).

4. Introduce square inch (in2).

5 Derive the formula G4B pp. 26- 1. Posing the problem
for finding the area 27
7/20 of rectangles and Let’s think about how to find the
squares. area of the rectangle and square
without counting the number of unit
squares one by one.

2. Discussion/Summary

Multiplication can be used if we

look at the number of square units
that fit along the length (vertical
side) of a rectangle as a group and
how many groups will fit along the
width (horizontal side). This is the
same idea that we used
multiplication to
find the number of dots in an array.
6 Find the area of 1. Give a variety of rectangle and
rectangles and the squares in different sizes,
7/21 squares (mm, cm, orientations to find and compare
inch) by using a the area.
formula.
2. Discussion/Summary

We can find the area of shapes with

measurements (mm cm, inch) by
using the formula. Sometimes it is
necessary to convert the unit in
order to use the appropriate unit.
 Grade 3 Mathematics Lesson #2

Title of Lesson: Which shape takes up more space? July 17, 2012
Prieto
Goals of the Lesson: Academy
1. Understand that the size of space of the sheets can be compared directly by
overlapping, and indirectly by tracing the space and placing it on top of the
other.
2. Know that the term area is used for the size of the space that covers 2
dimensional shapes.
3. Understand that areas can be compared using an arbitrary unit.

Flow of the Lesson:

Teacher’s Questions, Student Activities, Teacher Support Evaluation

and Anticipated Reactions and Things to
Remember
1. Recall prior knowledge (5 min.) Based on journal Are the
entries, remind journal entries
Students will read journal entries from students of important helpful to
previous day. points. recall prior
learning?
2. Introduction (10 min.) Have two blankets Are students
hanging on the wall in excited/intere
different locations in sted in the
the room. situation?
I want to go on a picnic and I want to take
the largest blanket. Clarify question so
students understand
that larger area
Which of the two picnic sheets has the means which blanket
larger area? takes up takes up
more space.
How can we find out?
Are students
Anticipated student reactions: Ask students to come able to see
a) We can place blanket A on top up and move/overlap that you can
of blanket B. You can see the the blankets (direct compare the
extra part of B so B is bigger. comparison). areas easily
by using
direct
comparison?
 b) We can place blanket B on top of
blanket A. You cannot see any of A
so B is bigger.

Here are some origami papers. Which Pass out origami

paper has a greater area? papers to pairs of
 Similar responses to above. students and have
them discuss with a
partner then share
their ideas.

3. Posing today’s problem (10 min.)

I saw these newsletters on a wall at a

Japanese school. The students were
looking at it and wondering which one is
larger.

Which newsletter has the larger area? Post large image of

newsletters on board
next to each other
horizontally. (Glue
them to a backing so
direct comparison by
moving is not
Newsletter A possible.)

Newsletter B

What do you think?

 It looks like A is bigger because it
is wider.
 B is taller (longer) so maybe it is B.
 They both have 12 papers around
the outside. Maybe they are the
same.
How can we find out?
 We cannot move the newsletters
to compare them.
 Maybe we could trace one on
paper and then place it on top of
the other?
 We can use the rectangular
papers that are around it.

4. Solving/Discussing (15 min.) Pass out worksheet Can students

and image of see why using
Please solve the problem on your own. newsletters. the idea of
perimeter is
Anticipated Student Solutions: Have tracing paper, not useful?
a) Compare the perimeters. They both scissors and rulers
have 12 pictures around them so available for students. Do students
they are the same size. understand
b) Trace one figure and overlap onto Allow students to that we can
the other (indirect comparison). come up to the front use indirect
o Compare left over parts of A of the room to look at comparison to
and B by placing one over the newsletters. compare the
the other. The leftover part areas?
of A is larger so A has a For solution (a), help
greater area. students notice that Do they
we are measuring the understand
space the shape takes the usefulness
up, not the distance of an arbitrary
around it. Students unit to
c) Draw a grid (or use cutouts of may also notice that compare
rectangles) to see how many same- the length and width areas?
sized rectangular pictures can of the rectangular
cover each newsletter (arbitrary pictures are different.
unit).
o A = 3 x 3 = 9 rectangles Only method (c)
o B = 4 x 2 = 8 rectangles allows us to use
o A has a greater area by 1 numbers to compare
rectangle. area (just like length).
The units must be the
same size.
5. Summing it up (10 min.) Areas can be Is the board
compared using an organization
Let’s think about what we learned. arbitrary unit. This helpful to
allows us to compare summarize
Please write what you learned today. by counting the the lesson?
number of units.
 Grade 3 Mathematics Lesson #3

Title of Lesson: Which shape takes up more space? July 18, 2012
Prieto Academy
Goal of the Lesson:
 Understand that area can be compared by using a square unit.

Flow of the Lesson:

Teacher’s Questions, Student Activities, Teacher Support Evaluation

and Anticipated Reactions and Things to
Remember
1. Recalling prior knowledge (5 min.) Highlight important Will these
ideas that will be ideas
Students will read selected math journal helpful for today’s enhance the
entries from previous day. lesson. learning of
this lesson?
2. Posing today’s problem (10 min.)

Which of the following shapes, the Put large rectangle Do students

rectangle or the square, has the larger and square shapes understand
area, and by how much? on board. the problem?

Are they
interested in
solving the
problem?
Anticipated student reactions:
 The rectangle is wider so it must be
bigger.
 The square is higher (longer) so it
must be bigger.
 They look the same.
 Looks like they have the same
perimeters so maybe they are
the same.

Let’s think about a way to express how Put lesson goal on

large they are. board.

3. Solving/Discussing (20 min.) Give students Can students

shapes on a paper. begin solving
Anticipated Student Solutions: the problem?
a) Perimeter is the same so both have the Provide rulers
same area. and/or scissors to
 b) Cut one or both shapes and overlap students who want
(direct/indirect comparison). them. Are students
able to think
Regarding solution about how to
(a), help students solve the
see that area problem in
measure the space different
the shape takes up, ways?
 Extra part of square is larger (by not the shape
1 small square) around the outside Can students
 Extra part of square has 4 small of the shape see the
squares, extra part of rectangle has (remind them of advantage of
only 3 small squares. similar using an
 If I move part of the rectangle and misunderstanding square unit?
add a small square they will be the on previous day).
same
size and shape. Only solution (c)
 If I move part of the square and allows us to use
take one small square away, they numbers to
will be the same size and shape. compare.
c) Draw a grid and count the number of
squares each shape has (arbitrary Only solution (c)
unit). allows us to say how
much more.

Square unit has an

advantage over the
rectangle unit
 Square = 4 x 4 = 16 squares because both sides
 Rectangle = 3 x 5 or 5 x 3 = 12 squares have the same
length.

4. Consolidating learning (10 min.) Explain directions Are students

and demonstrate enjoying the
Let’s play an area game. briefly. game?

Make sure students Are they

s0LAY THE GAME OF ROCK, PAPER, AND start coloring internalizing
SCISSORS AND IF YOU WIN, YOU CAN COLOR
ONE SQUARE. squares from upper the idea of
s4HE PERSON WHO HAS THE BIGGER right and lower left using square
AREA WINS.
corners. units to
compare
areas?
5. Summing it up (5 min.) The size of area can Do students’
be expressed using journal
Let’s think about what we learned. numbers by setting entries
 up a square unit. By reflect the
The amount of space inside the rectangle using numbers we main goals of
and the square can be expressed by the can easily compare the lesson?
number of square units that fill up the and show how much
space. the area is and how
much different.
Please write down what you learned
today. Perimeter cannot
help us compare the
area.
 Grade 3 Mathematics Lesson #4

Title of Lesson: Unit of Area July 19, 2012

Prieto Academy
Goals of the Lesson:
1. Understand square cm and square in.
2. Deepen understanding of area units by creating shapes on a grid.

Flow of the Lesson:

Teacher’s Questions, Student Activities, Teacher Support Evaluation

and Anticipated Reactions and Things to
Remember
6. Recalling prior knowledge (5 min.) Highlight Do the journal
important ideas entries help
Students will read selected math journal from previous solidify
entries from previous day. lesson that will be understanding
helpful for today’s and prepare
lesson. students for
new learning?
7. Introducing formal unit for area Have shapes
measurement (10 min.) (rectangle and
square), scissors,
Let’s think about what kinds of square rulers and 1-cm Do students
units we can use. grid paper understand
prepared for that cm2 is a
students. unit used to
measure area?

Post shapes (from

previous day’s
lesson) on board.

Please measure the square units using

your ruler. Make sure students
are using the cm
Anticipated students’ reactions: side of ruler.
 It is smaller than 1 inch so we cannot Do they have a
use inches. Label both length sense of the
 It is 1 cm. and width of 1-cm size of 1 cm2?
 It is 1 cm wide and 1 cm high (long) square as “1 cm.”
Help them to see Do they
Please cut out a 1 cm square and place it that is a 1-cm by 1- understand
on your fingertip. cm square. the difference
and can they
 Introduce term make the
square connection
centimeter and between
notation cm2. linear units
The area of a square with 1cm (cm) and
sides is called 1 square Contrast cm (line) square units?
centimeter, and it is written as 1 and cm2 (square)
cm2. to measure length
and area
Try to find things around you that have an respectively.
area of about 1 cm2.
Help students see
Anticipated students’ reactions: that we need a
square unit
 My fingernail. because we are
 The tip of my pencil. trying to measure
 various responses. (cover) space.

8. Finding area in cm2 of shapes on a grid Pass out worksheet

(20 min.) to students.

Let’s draw some shapes using cm2

Encourage
students to draw
arrows to show
how the pieces can
be moved to make
whole squares.

Have students
share their shapes
using the Elmo.

Sample Solutions

9. Introducing square inch (in2) (10 min.) Give inch grid Are students
paper to students. able to see
What other square units besides why different
square cm do you think there are? Encourage square units
 Square in, m, yd, mi, km, etc. students to are necessary
  If something is really big we may want measure the in the U.S.
to use a larger unit like mi2. dimensions of the measurement
square unit with a system?
What kind of unit do you think this is? ruler.
How can we find out? Do students
 We can measure it. Introduce term and have a sense
 cm do not work. notation for square of the size of 1
 It is 1 inch (long/wide). inch (1n2). in2?
 It is 1 square inch.
Explain that inch is
Please cut out 1 square inch. a common
measurement unit
so we often use in2
The area of a square with 1cm sides to measure area in
is called 1 square inch, and it is the U.S.
written as 1 in2.
If there is time,
have students draw
About how big is it?
some shapes that
are 4 square inches
Please try to find something that has an
on grid paper.
area of about 1 in2.

Anticipated students’ reactions:

 The tip of my thumb.
 Various responses.

10. Summing it up (5 min.) 1cm by 1cm square Does the

and 1 inch by 1 board show
Please write what you learned today. inch square are how students’
widely used as thinking
Anticipated math journal entries: square units to evolved
 We can use square units like express area during the
square cm and square in. to show around the world. lesson?
area.
 Square in. is a common unit to Do the journal
measure area in the U.S. entries reflect
 Square cm is written like this, 1 cm2. the goals of
 A square cm is a square that is 1 cm by the lesson?
1 cm. A square in. is a square that is 1
in. by 1 in. Square cm are smaller than
square inches.
 You can make many different looking
shapes that have the same area, like
4
cm2.
 Grade 3 Mathematics Lesson #5

Title of Lesson: Area of rectangles and Squares July 20, 2012

Prieto Academy
Goals of the Lesson:
 Derive the formula for finding the area of rectangles and squares.

Flow of the Lesson:

Teacher’s Questions, Student Teacher Support and Evaluation

Activities, and Anticipated Reactions Things to Remember
11. Recalling prior knowledge (5 min.) Highlight important Is the quality
ideas from previous of the journal
Students will read selected math journal lesson that will be entries
entries from previous day. helpful for today’s improving?
lesson.
12. Posing today’s problem (5 min.) Give each student 6 one- Do students
inch square tiles. understand
Let’s think about how to find the area the problem?
of the rectangle and square without Have rulers available for
counting the number of unit squares students if they want to Are they
one by one. use them. eager to solve
it?
6 in.
Make sure students
5 in. know that each tile has
4 in. an area of 1 square inch.

13. Solving/Discussion (20 min.) Hatsumon (if needed): Do students

Line up a row of tiles understand
Anticipated Students’ Solutions: along the vertical edge. why
1. Use repeated addition (by drawing a multiplication
grid or using tiles). As students present can be used
 Looking at no. of tiles in 1 column (4 their solution methods to find the
+ 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 20 in2) clearly label the total number
 Looking a no. of tiles in 1 row (5 + 5 + meaning of each number of square
5 + 5 = 20 in2) on board. units?
2. Draw a grid or use square tiles and
use multiplication. Label vertical side length Do they
 For rectangle and horizontal side understand
o 4 square inches in 1 column x width so students can the difference
5 columns = 20 in2 use these terms between the
o 5 square inches in 1 row x 4 consistently in the formulas for a
rows = 20 in2 discussion. rectangle and
 For square a square, and
 o Repeated addition (5 + 5 + 5 + Help students see how why?
5, either by looking at rows or the repeated addition
columns) and multiplication Can students
o Multiplication, similar to methods are similar but clearly
rectangle (5 x 5 = 25 in2) that multiplication is explain their
either by no. in 1 column x no. more efficient. thinking
of columns or no. in 1 row x using words
no. of rows. Help students see the like “length”
number of square units and “width”
What kind of formula can we come up that can fit along the or “vertical
with to find the area of rectangles? length of one side as a side” and
 Measure the length and the group and the no. of tiles “horizontal
width and multiply. that fit along other side side”?
 It’s like an array when we as the number of groups.
learned multiplication.
 length x width Associate the length
 width x length with “vertical side” and
width with “horizontal
How is the square different? side.”
What formula can we use?
 We only need to measure 1 side Post formulas for area of
since the sides all have the same rectangle and square.
length.
 length x width (or width x length) Remind students that
 side x side squares are special
rectangles with equal
)N ORDER TO CALCULATE THE AREA OF A RECTANGLE OR A
SQUARE, FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
length sides. That is why
-EASURE THE LENGTHS OF TWO SIDES THAT the rectangle formula
ARE NEXT TO EACH OTHER. also works for squares.
-ULTIPLY THE TWO NUMBERS THAT REPRESENT
THE LENGTHS OF THE TWO SIDES.
Tell students that these
math sentences are
ASFB PG B SFDUBOHMF = MFOHUI × XJEUI called formulas.
ASFB PG B TRVBSF = TJEF × TJEF
Make sure that students
understand that the
answer must be
expressed with square
units.
14. Consolidation/Application (15 min.) For problem #2, remind Are students
students that you need able to
Let’s apply the formulas we learned to to use the same units of apply the
solve some problems. length for each side. formulas
accurately
Make sure they are using and
efficiently?
 the ruler correctly.
(OW MANY CM² ARE THE AREAS OF THE RECTANGLE
AND THE SQUARE BELOW? Are they
A RECTANGLE THAT IS 15CM LONG AND 23CM WIDE. Purposefully scan expressing
A SQUARE THAT IS 20CM ON EACH SIDE. students’ to see if they their answers
-EASURE THE SIDES OF understand or if there in square
THE RECTANGLE ON THE
are any misconceptions. units?
RIGHT AND FIND THE
AREA.
Address common
misconceptions as a
&IND THE AREA OF A RECTANGLE class.
THAT IS 30MM LONG AND
6CM WIDE.
Have more problems
prepared for students
who finish quickly.
15. Summing it up (5 min.) Multiplication can be Do students’
used if we look at the journal
Please write what you learned today. number of square units entries reflect
that fit along the length the big ideas
Anticipated math journal entries: (vertical side) of a of the lesson
 We can use formulas to find the rectangle as a group and and unit?
area of rectangles and squares. how many groups will fit
 The area of a rectangle can be found along the width
by multiplying the number of (horizontal side). This is
squares in one group by the number the same idea that we
of groups (or vice versa). used multiplication to
 It is easy to find the area of find the number of dots
rectangles and squares by using a in an array.
formula.
 It is like multiplication with an array.
 A square has equal length sides so we
only need to measure one side.