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Overview

Grade Levels: 3 & 4 combination
Duration: 3 Days, 50 minutes each
Class Size: 30 Students
Subject: Mathematics
Standards:

• 3rd Grade: NC.3.MD.7 – Relate area to the operations of multiplication and addition.
• 4th Grade: NC.4.MD.3 – Apply the formula for area and perimeter of rectangles in real-world and mathematical problems.

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Learning Objectives

Day 1

• I can understand the concept of perimeter and calculate the perimeter of rectangles and other simple shapes using addition.
• Success Criteria:
  • Identify perimeter as the total distance around a shape.
  • Correctly add side lengths to find perimeters.
• Standard Reference: NC.3.MD.7

Day 2

• I can calculate the area of rectangles using multiplication and relate it to repeated addition.
• Success Criteria:
  • Understand area as covering a surface inside a shape.
  • Use multiplication to find the area of a rectangle.
• Standard Reference: NC.3.MD.7 & NC.4.MD.3 (Area)

Day 3

• I can solve real-world problems involving area and perimeter of rectangles using formulas.
• Success Criteria:
  • Apply area and perimeter formulas to solve word problems.
  • Distinguish when to use area vs. perimeter in problem contexts.
• Standard Reference: NC.4.MD.3

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Day 1: Perimeter Basics

Anticipatory Activity (5 min)

“Perimeter Walk” – Bring a small rectangular object (e.g., a book). Ask students to estimate how far they would walk if they followed the edges of the book. Discuss their guesses and introduce the idea of the perimeter as the distance around the shape.

Teacher Instruction (I Do/We Do/You Do) (20 min)

• I Do: Model calculating the perimeter of a rectangle by adding the lengths of all sides. Show side lengths on the board, explain step-by-step addition (e.g., 4 + 6 + 4 + 6 = 20 units).
• We Do: Together, solve perimeter problems of various rectangles and some irregular polygons on the board. Encourage students to contribute ideas on which sides to add.
• You Do: Students practice calculating perimeter on given shapes in their notebooks individually with nearby peer support.

Student Work/Lesson Application (15 min)

• Each student receives shape cards (rectangles and simple polygons) and writes down the perimeter of each.
• Dyslexia-Friendly: Cards will use high-contrast colors, clear fonts, and include both numeric side labels and small visual length bars.

Small Group/Differentiated Instruction (7 min)

• Support Group: Use physical rulers and string to measure and add the sides of paper shapes.
• Advanced Group: Introduce irregular shapes requiring more attention to calculate perimeter. Challenge with missing side length problems (find the unknown side length given perimeter and other sides).

Exit Ticket/Assessment (3 min)

• One quick problem: “Find the perimeter of a rectangle with sides 7 units and 5 units.”
• Collect exit tickets to assess understanding and inform next day’s review or reteach.

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Day 2: Understanding Area

Anticipatory Activity (5 min)

“Tiling the Floor” – Show a carpet or tile pattern and ask how many tiles cover the floor. Lead students to realize this is finding the area.

Teacher Instruction (I Do/We Do/You Do) (20 min)

• I Do: Demonstrate area calculation by counting unit squares on a rectangle’s grid and then show multiplying length × width as a shortcut.
• We Do: Solve example problems together using repeated addition and multiplication to find areas of rectangles.
• You Do: Students work in pairs to create rectangles on grid paper and calculate their areas.

Student Work/Lesson Application (15 min)

• Using grid paper, students draw rectangles with given lengths and widths, then count and multiply to find areas.
• Dyslexia-Friendly: Use grids printed on light yellow paper with thick dark lines for better visual clarity.

Small Group/Differentiated Instruction (7 min)

• Support Group: Focus on counting unit squares physically using manipulatives or stamps.
• Advanced Group: Challenge students to compose complex rectangular shapes by combining smaller rectangles and adding their areas.

Extension Activity for Advanced Learners

• Create shapes by combining rectangles and calculate total area (integration with NC.3.MD.7).

Exit Ticket/Assessment (3 min)

• Solve: “What is the area of a rectangle that is 8 units long and 3 units wide?” Write both repeated addition and multiplication answers.

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Day 3: Real-World Problems & Application

Anticipatory Activity (5 min)

Pose problem: “You want to build a rectangular garden with a perimeter of 24 feet. What could the length and width be?” Discuss possibilities.

Teacher Instruction (I Do/We Do/You Do) (20 min)

• I Do: Model solving a word problem involving area and perimeter, explaining which measurement matches the question context.
• We Do: Guide students through another problem, helping identify knowns, unknowns, and formulas needed.
• You Do: Students work individually solving 2 word problems, one involving perimeter and one area.

Student Work/Lesson Application (15 min)

• Workbook pages with mixed word problems on area and perimeter.
• Dyslexia-Friendly: Problems presented in bullet points with keywords highlighted and uncluttered layout.

Small Group/Differentiated Instruction (7 min)

• Support Group: Use manipulatives representing sides/units and real objects to visualize the problems.
• Advanced Group: Introduce missing side length problems in real-world contexts for critical thinking and algebraic reasoning.

Extension Activity for Advanced Learners

• Pose “Design your own rectangular play area” problem: Calculate possible dimensions for given area or perimeter constraints.

Exit Ticket/Assessment (3 min)

• Quick word problem: “A rectangular picture frame has a length of 10 inches and a width of 4 inches. What is the perimeter? What is the area?”

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Additional Notes for Teachers

Differentiation Tips

• Provide visual and tactile resources to support conceptual understanding.
• Use peer pairs strategically to support ELL and students with learning differences.
• Chunk instructions and print step-by-step guides on each desk.

Dyslexia-Friendly Reading Suggestions

• Simple sentence structures with plenty of white space.
• Use of bullet points rather than paragraphs.
• Font: Arial, Comic Sans, or other dyslexia-friendly fonts at 14+ pt size.

Wow Factor Suggestions

• Incorporate a short interactive whiteboard game for perimeter and area practice with immediate feedback.
• Use real objects from the classroom (e.g., desks, whiteboard sizes) to measure and calculate actual perimeters and areas.
• Encourage students to create “Math Flyers” summarizing formulas in their own words with visuals.

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This three-day cohesive plan balances concrete understanding with abstract formula mastery, ensuring success for a heterogeneous class combining grades 3 and 4 with alignment to Common Core standards.