Area
Background Information & Activities

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This movie will explore the concept of area, and explain how to calculate it by counting square units inside shapes as well as by multiplying length times width. Some children may not be familiar with multiplication yet, so we recommend stopping the movie where it is appropriate for the needs of your children or students.

Review with children that area is the measurement of the space inside of a shape. Some children get area confused with perimeter, which is the total distance around a shape. You may wish to explain the differences further if you encounter confusion. Why is knowing the area of something helpful? We calculate area to figure out the size of a room, how much carpet we need to cover a floor, or how much wallpaper, tile, or paint we need to cover a wall. Brainstorm other uses for area together.

Remind children that they can calculate the area of a shape by dividing it into equal squares and then counting the squares. Each of these squares is called a square unit. Draw different shapes on grid or graph paper and have children count the squares to calculate the area. Help them understand that each square in the graph paper represents one square unit, so area is described in square units. Then draw a shape on the graph paper that utilizes half squares and help children calculate the area. Remind them that two half-square units are equal to one square unit. Show them how to count the whole squares and then add the half-squares to the total.

Explain that to calculate area of a rectangle or square, you can multiply the length times the width instead of dividing the shape into equal squares and counting all the square units. Go through a few examples together. Model writing out number sentences using the multiplication symbol and be sure to write the units so children understand that area is not measured in inches, feet, centimeters, meters, etc. but rather in square inches, square feet, square centimeters, square meters, etc.

Help children understand that math plays a critical role in our lives. People used math to build our homes and schools and to manufacture everything from our pencils to our food. Help children apply mathematic principles and concepts in their everyday lives. Why might they need to calculate area?

See more lesson plans and resources: BrainPOP Educators.

Area Teacher Activities

© 1999-2012 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Graphitti

Give students a sheet of graph paper and have them draw shapes. Remind them to use only straight lines. They may want to use rulers to help them draw. Also encourage them to use shapes with half-squares on the graph paper. Then have students swap their shapes with a partner and calculate the area by counting the squares and half-squares. Next ask students to draw a shape that is 8 square units or 10 square units and ask a partner to check their work. Can they create other shapes with the same number of square units? Encourage children to continue drawing and measuring shapes until the paper is filled.

Area Bingo

Play a modified game of Bingo with your students. First, have each student make a Bingo card. Using graph paper, have students draw five different shapes to represent each letter of "Bingo." The areas of these shapes can be up to 20 square units. Then have students swap their cards with each other. Meanwhile, write different areas on slips of paper (from 1 through 20 square units) and put them in a hat. When you call an area, have students see if they have a shape with that area in their Bingo cards. The first person to have all five shapes covered gets Bingo and becomes the caller for the next round. Students can swap their cards and play again and again.

Area Family Activities

© 1999-2012 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Paper Shapes

Cut up paper shapes and find the area of each. At first, you may want to use graph paper to draw and cut out shapes so it is easier for your child to count square units and figure out the area. Then draw or cut out squares and rectangles using plain paper and have your child measure the length and width. Help your child multiply to find the area.

Ten Square Units

Give your child graph paper and challenge him or her to draw shapes that have an area of 10 square units. Encourage him or her to be creative! He or she may want to incorporate half-squares into different shapes. Remind your child that two half-square units are equal to one square unit. You can repeat the activity again with other areas, including 20 square units or 50 square units.