Estimate The Area Of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

Topic: Estimating Area of Irregular Objects

NCSCS: Sixth Grade
Mathematics Objectives: 2.12 Estimate solutions to problems involving geometry and measurement. Determine when estimates are sufficient for the measurement situation. 2.13 Analyze problem situations, select appropriate strategies, and use an organized approach to solve non-routine and increasingly complex problems involving geometry and measurement. Use technology as appropriate.

Interdisciplinary Connection:
Technology/Reading/Writing

Differentiation/Accommodation/Student Voice/Choice:
Differentiation /Accommodation - Small groups - Put six types of trees on the board, let students chose a tree. Only four students to a tree. Student Voice/Choice - Students may choose any four color combination for marking and counting square inches. Students also have a choice of using a calculator.

Materials

  • Six - irregular figures
  • See-through square inch color tiles
  • Overhead projector
  • Four overheads of irregular figures
  • Scoresheets (One for each student)
  • Calculator
  • Six large maps (maps to scale)of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest
    • 1 square inch is equal to 1 acre (1 sq. in = 100 acres)
  • Twenty-five brochures of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

Procedures:

  • Area is the number of square units needed to cover the surface of a figure. To find area, one can count the number of square units inside the figure.
  • The teacher will demonstrate how to count square units by using the overhead projector.
  • The teacher will place an irregular figure on the overhead.
  • The teacher will use four different colors of clear square inch color tiles to count the area of the figure's surface.
    • Full squares will be red
    • Almost full squares will be blue
    • Half-full square will be yellow
    • Less than half-full will be green
      • Full squares will be counted as 1
      • Almost full squares will be counted as 1
      • Half-full squares will be counted as one-half or .5
      • Squares that are less than half-full will not be counted
  • The teacher will demonstrate how to place the squares by starting in the center and working to the outer edges of the figure. Center squares will be red and as one works toward edges, squares will be place by almost full - blue, half-full - yellow, and less full - green.
  • When all the surface area is covered the teacher counts tiles and adds their values.
  • Example:
    • 8 red squares will receive the value of 8.
    • 10 almost full squares will receive the value of 10.
    • 13 half-full will receive the value of 6 and one-half or 6.5.
    • 6 less than half full will not be counted.
        • The total surface area of the irregular figure is equal to 30.5 square inches, this figure will be rounded-off to 31 square inches.
  • As a guided practice students will work three more irregular figures. When all students are through the teacher will work the figures on the overhead and students will check their estimations.
  • Students will work six irregular figures on their own and record their results.
  • When all students are through, students will be placed in their groups and be given a map of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.
  • Students will find the area of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.
  • Students will record their tiles on scoresheet.
  • Students will assign values to tiles and calculate total area of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. The total area of the map should be equal to 380 square inches, which is equal to 3,800 square acres.
  • The teacher will give each student a Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest brochure which was donated to the class by Cheoah Ranger District. For a brochure write Cheoah Ranger District, Route 1, Box 16-A, Robbinsville, N. C. 28771.
  • The teacher will ask each student to read the brochure and at the bottom of their scoresheet write a descriptive writing of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest using the brochure and information they have collected from previous lessons.
  • Assessment:

Timeframe for Lesson:

  • Two 50 minutes class periods

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Page Author: Bobbie Burchfield
10/13/02