Kraig+Vales

Kraig's Unit Plan

After spending a year as an aviation major at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, I realized that flying professionally wasn't for me. I thought long and hard about what I was interested in, and ever since, knew I wanted to be a math teacher.

media type="custom" key="4310915" A rap illustrating the basics of finding the perimeter and area of a rectangle.
 * Mrs. Burk Perimeter Rap**

Measurement
 * Complex Area Problems**

Grade Level: 6-8

Concepts: Area Formulas, Measurement, Rates, Proportions, Problem Solving

This lesson consists of two parts. The first requires students to find the area of a complex shape using formulas and the Google Earth ruler tool. The objects chosen for this lesson are several crop fields in Minnesota. The shapes chosen require the area formulas for a parallelogram and triangle. Remind students that complex area can be found by the addition of parts or by subtracting from a greater whole. Directions for this first step are found by clicking on the “?” icon in the field.

The second part of the problem is revealed when students click on the house icon. This section consists of a problem or several problems that a farmer may want to solve, such as “how much money will my crop yield?” Students will need to be able to solve rate problems with a proportion for this section.

Both problem sections ask that student show their work in steps on paper. Calculator use is encouraged. There are three crop fields in this file, but you could add more of a different variety. Students can even create their own problems to share with the class.

This is a great lesson, I feel like it would go over very well in the classroom. The only thing I might change is the fields from corn and soybean to something students might be able to relate to in South Carolina.