Clip 8/11: Area and Perimeter Lesson Part 2B

Overview

Robin’s 3rd-grade students continue their work to represent diverse rectangular shapes with a common area of 36 tiles, representing their work on large graph paper. Students evaluate their work and change course when they spot an error in their thinking. Groups represent the area of the shape and the perimeter with equations. Robin asks groups to think about and draw on prior work representing equations for area and perimeter.

Teacher Commentary

I need to know: “What are your ideas? Your ideas are good. We need to hear about them!” So, when I question the students, that also tells me, “Do they have any idea what I'm talking about?” or “Nope, I need to totally backtrack, because they're over here and I need them to be here, but we're missing this step.” The questioning opens them up: “What do you think? Have you tried this?”