area and perimeter Activity

(Adapted from the Balanced Assessment In mathematics project, Harvard Assessments)

Brief description of students for whom activity is appropriate

Small class (dozen or so learners), multi level (pre-GED through beginning GED),

Purpose of Activity (learning Objectives)

Learners will be able to demonstrate that the relationship between area and perimeter changes as a rectangle is compressed into a square or a square is stretched into a rectangle.

Strand addressed

Geometry and Measurement

Materials needed

About 25 to 30 square tiles or other objects with square foot-prints

Steps in activity

- Have students lay out the tiles in a 10 by 2 rectangle.

- Have them determine perimeter and area.

- Ask them to use more tiles to increase the area but to decrease the perimeter at the same time.

Assessment

Evaluate on a scale of 1 to 4, how accurately students are able to use the terms “perimeter” and “area”.

See if students can use the formulas for finding perimeter and area.

See if students can generalize about the greater “compactness” of squares compared to rectangles

Variation of activity

Have the students construct a square, and ask them to alter it by increasing the perimeter without increasing the area.