Area - unit squares and pattern blocks

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Intros
Lessons
  1. Introduction to Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks:
  2. What is area?
  3. How to cover the area of a figure using pattern blocks (and tangrams)
  4. How to find the area of figures using unit squares
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Examples
Lessons
  1. Understanding area using pattern blocks
    Find the area of the shape made by mixed pattern blocks.

    Give the area in number of green pattern blocks, which look like: Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    1. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    2. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    3. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
  2. Create shapes using pattern blocks to show area
    Make a shape using the specific pattern blocks and with the given area.
    1. Use green and yellow pattern blocks only to make a shape with an area of 11 green pattern blocks.

      Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    2. Use red and blue pattern blocks only to make a shape with an area of 14 green pattern blocks.

      Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
  3. Understanding area using tangrams
    For tangrams, the area unit is a small right-angle triangle. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks

    What is the area of the given shape in number of triangles?
    1. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    2. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    3. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
  4. Area by counting unit squares
    Count the number of unit squares to find the area. Give the answer in unit squares.
    1. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    2. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    3. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
  5. Area equations with multiplication
    Fill in the blanks for the rectangle made of unit squares.
    • Write a multiplication equation for the area
    • Give the area in unit squares
    1. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    2. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
    3. Area - Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks
Topic Notes
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In this lesson, we will learn:

  • Area is the 2D measurement of the total space covered by a shape
  • The area of a figure can be covered by pattern blocks
  • The area of a figure made of unit squares is found by counting the total number of squares
  • The formula shortcut for the area of a rectangular figure made of unit squares

Notes:

  • Area is the measure of the amount of two-dimensional space covered by a shape

  • Pattern blocks are coloured polygons used in classrooms to help understand area.
    • There are four types of pattern blocks
    • The smallest pattern block (green triangle) can fit into the other pattern blocks
Area – Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks


Example: pattern blocks are used to cover the outline of a figure (covering the area)
Area – Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks

  • Area should be given as one type of unit only; all measurements are given in the same units
    • i.e. I would say “my book is as long as 2 as my index fingers”. I would not say “my book is the length of 1 of my fingers, 3 of my toes, and half a crayon long”.
    • In the previous example, it is better to give the area as 15 green blocks.

  • Unit squares are building blocks of figures and measure 1 unit on all sides; the area of one centimeter unit square is 1cm2. (For perimeter, these are called grid squares)
    • To find the area of a shape/figure, count the total number of squares
    • If the unit squares are arranged in a rectangular figure, use the formula: Area = length × width

Example: Find the area of this figure
Area – Unit Squares and Pattern Blocks