10 Hands-On Strategies for Teaching

Area and Perimeter

By Genia Connell on December 13, 2012
Grades: 12, 35
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Every year, many of my students seem to have difficulty grasping the idea of perimeter and area.
Ive found that the best way to help students learn the difference between the two while figuring
out how to properly calculate each is to have them engage in several different hands-on activities.
This week Ill share with you how I introduce these important measurement concepts separately,
then reinforce them with engaging cumulative activities that emphasize both area and perimeter.


Perimeter Made Easy
1. Straw Polygons
Using straws cut into lengths of 2, 4, and 6 inches, along with pipe cleaners cut into 2-inch
pieces, students explore perimeter by making polygons with sides of various lengths. They
measure and record the lengths then draw the shapes in their math notebooks, annotating the
length of each side along with the total perimeter. Using premeasured lengths makes it easier for
me to quickly check if students are adding up the sides correctly as I walk around checking their
work.
2. Geoboards
In this follow-up activity, students use rubber bands on geoboards to create shapes with different
perimeters that I have written on the board. For example, Ill ask them to make a square with a
perimeter of 16, a triangle with a perimeter of 12, etc. To wrap up this activity, I ask students to
create four different polygons and record the perimeter of each on their small dry erase boards.
As I walk around, it is easy to see who has grasped the idea and who needs more time and
practice.

3. Perimeter Is Here, There, and Everywhere
While my students are out of the room, I use tape to craft seven large polygons. Each side is
marked with a letter. Working in groups of three, students use yardsticks and tape measures to
record the length of each side, and then they add them together. This activity really helps cement
the notion that perimeter is the sum of individual sides added together.
After measuring the floor polygons, students move about the room measuring the perimeter of
everyday items such as rugs, cabinet doors, their desks, etc., and recording them in their math
journals along with an annotated diagram.

4. Plan a Dinner Party With Marilyn Burns
In the book Spaghetti and Meatballs for All! A Mathematical Story by Marilyn Burns, Mr. and
Mrs. Comfort invite 32 people to a reunion. To accommodate their guests, they set up eight
square tables to seat 4 people at each, one to a side. The guests, however, rearrange things
so different-size groups can sit together. Mrs. Comfort protests, knowing the arrangements wont
work, but no one listens. After a great deal of confusion the guests realize Mrs. Comfort was right.
I read the first part of this book, up until the guests begin to move the tables, to my class. Then I
tell the class that they are going to help Mrs. Comfort set her tables so everyone is happy. Each
group of two students gets eight squares that represent the tables and 32 smaller squares for the
guests. Students work very hard, and exasperation always gives way to delight when they realize
that the only way to get 32 places at the table is with Mrs. Comforts original plan.

Introduce Area
5. Use Math Cubes
When students knowledge of perimeter is quite solid, introduce area. Using connecting math
cubes or building blocks are great ways to have students create closed shapes that can be
used to introduce area. The square-shaped blocks help students understand the notion of
square units as we calculate the total number of blocks, or area, of their shapes. LEGO
bricks also work very well here. Tip: I store math block manipulatives in plastic sandwich bags
that contain 36 units. Students can grab a baggie, and we save lots of time counting out blocks
for math.

6. Cheez-It Math
Students always seem to focus closely on lessons that involve edible manipulatives because they
know that when the work is done, they feast! We use these to compare and contrast the area and
perimeter of different polygons. Students discover that the exact same 20 crackers can yield
many different perimeters while the area always remains 20. You can count on your students'
amazement when they discover the large perimeters they can create with zigzag designs.
Whenever using edible manipulatives, I always keep my students with allergies in mind. My
students with wheat, soy, and dairy allergies use Rice Chex instead of cheese crackers for worry-
free edible math.


Area and Perimeter Together Again
7. Word Study Meets Math
Students write their weekly word list on square centimeter graph paper and then calculate the
area and perimeter of each word. Words with tall letters like b, d, and k, along with letters that
hang down likeg, p, and q, take up two spots. For example, the word road has an area of 5 sq.
cm. and a perimeter of 12 cm. while boat has an area of 6 sq. cm. and a perimeter of 14 cm. I
have also had students break their words up and sort them after writing them on the centimeter
grid.
8. Name Banners
These two activities are always huge favorites with my students in math centers. First they use
the square centimeter graph paper to write out their names. Next they find the area and perimeter
of each letter and add those together to find the area and perimeter of their entire name. Students
love to compare the sizes of their letters and names. Having your students in cooperative groups
for this is key because when one student has trouble visualizing how a letter m can be made out
of squares, a group member is always there willing to lend a hand.



9. Centimeter Grid Masterpieces
Using the same square centimeter grid above, students get in touch with their inner artists as they
create pieces of artwork and then determine their area and perimeter.


10. Bringing It Home: The Culminating Project
Our culminating activity is for students to create an area and perimeter neighborhood. I print and
copy square-inch grids onto construction paper of different colors. After a bit of modeling,
students select four different colors to create the house, roof, door, and windows. Drawing their
polygons and cutting and fitting them together into a house shape requires them to use
substantial problem-solving skills well before they even calculate the area and perimeter of each.
Completed houses are displayed on a bulletin board along with a sheet that lists their name, the
area and perimeter, and their favorite part of the project.
About a week after the houses are completed, I have students design trees for the display.
Because a week has passed, this activity works as a review and reinforcement of their area and
perimeter skills.




Books I Like for Teaching Area and Perimeter

Perimeter, Area, and Volume
by David Adler
A star-studded cast of monsters helps kids calculate the perimeter of a movie set, the area of the
"big screen," and the volume of a popcorn box.

Mighty Math: Cosmic Geometry
by Edmark
An exciting ride through the cosmos teaches your students about geometric concepts such as
shapes, 2-D and 3-D coordinates, transformations, perimeter, area, and volume.

Spaghetti and Meatballs for All! A Mathematical Story
by Marilyn Burns
Math specialist Marilyn Burns uses wit and humor to encourage children to think about area and
perimeter as they help Mr. and Mrs. Comfort seat 32 guests for a dinner party.

I hope the activities I've shared here have helped give you a few ideas of ways you can teach and
reinforce area and perimeter with your students. If you have any great ideas for using
manipulatives to teach math, I would love to read about them in the comments section below.



Subjects:
Manipulatives, Real-World Math, Time and Measurement, Measurement
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COMMENTS (13)
July 26, 2014 at 1:00 p.m.
Rob D.
reply
These are great ideas.
I am amazed at how prevalent the idea of perimeter and area are in the classroom. From the
whiteboards, tables and desks to the ceilings and floors. Lots of opportunities to learn geometry.
http://spiritedteaching.com
May 19, 2014 at 10:39 p.m.
Anonymous
reply
wow these learning ideas are great i will start teaching my god son and his brothers that
May 19, 2014 at 11:17 a.m.
Cindy
reply
Love your ideas! I'm new at teaching 4th grade math. I especially like the name making area, and am
making it now for my kids.
February 3, 2014 at 12:52 a.m.
cris
reply
Do students measure with rulers to find the perimeter of the roofs since the length of the triangle's
hypotenuse is different than the length of the sides of the squares?
November 3, 2013 at 11:35 p.m.
Emily Drummond
reply
Wow! GREAT ideas. Thanks for sharing. I will definitely have my kids explore these ideas.
Regards,
Emily Drummond
October 29, 2013 at 9:28 a.m.
Anonymous Antonia Madimure
reply
Brilliant Ideas! Thank you for your generosity. All students will end up liking Math if taught using such
methodologies.
July 1, 2013 at 11:27 p.m.
Anonymous
reply
Wow! Thanks for your creativity and inspiration! Not to mention the resource suggestions!
April 13, 2013 at 7:50 a.m.
Michele
reply
Dear Genia - thank-you sharing these authentic and meaningful activities. I have taken them and
moved them into my guided math format meaning that I use the geoboard activity for the group that I
am working with and then use the other activities as parallel task. I have also added a technology
componet to incorporate the computers and ipads in a centre!
January 4, 2013 at 11:03 a.m.
Randee
reply
Wow! Definitely will use your process this year to keep my students motivated to learn these difficult
concepts.
December 31, 2012 at 8:09 a.m.
Anonymous
reply
Thanks so much for sharing such a well-constructed plan that is filled with hands-on explorations.
Winter is such a wonderful time to study these topics and returning from the holiday break to such 'fun'
math is exciting for kids and teachers.
January 2, 2013 at 4:56 p.m.
Genia
reply
Thanks for you comment, and I agree--my class definitely thinks anything where they are using
manipulatives, creating something or utilizing the world around them is "fun" math!
December 12, 2012 at 1:11 p.m.
Elisabeth
reply
Excellent ideas! Thanks for sharing :)
January 2, 2013 at 4:53 p.m.
Genia
reply
Thanks Elisabeth!
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