Cycle 1 Day 1 - Area and Perimeter of Composite Shapes

The project we are starting with is a "New Job, New House" project. We started day 1 with introductions and just did an activity where students found the area and perimeter of a composite shape (i.e. a cottage). This is one of the great activities I got from Ms. McClennon-Sowchuk.

I found that the students at first thought that this was going to be an easy activity but when they got into it, it was much more challenging. Yet they were engaged in it for the whole period and talking to each other about how to do each part of it. There measurements were good and few students needed a formula sheet but there are parts that are definitely tricky.

Tomorrow I will take up parts of it and the students will get to design their own floor plan and find the area and perimeter.