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OUTCOME
A student:
MA1-10MG: measures, records, compares and estimates areas using uniform informal units
TEACHING POINTS | In Stage 1, measuring the areas of objects using informal units enables students to develop some key understandings of measurement. These include repeatedly placing units so that there are no gaps or overlaps and understanding that the units must be equal in size. Covering surfaces with a range of informal units should assist students in understanding that some units tessellate and are therefore more suitable for measuring area. |
| When students understand why tessellating units are important, they should be encouraged to make, draw and describe the spatial structure (grid). Students should develop procedures for counting tile or grid units so that no units are missed or counted twice. | |
| Students should also be encouraged to identify and use efficient strategies for counting, eg using repeated addition, rhythmic counting or skip counting. | |
| It is important that students have had some measurement experiences before being asked to estimate areas, and that a variety of estimation strategies is taught. |
| LANGUAGE | Students should be able to communicate using the following language: area, surface, measure, grid, row, column. |
Compare and order several shapes and objects based on area using appropriate uniform informal units (ACMMG037) | draw the spatial structure (grid) of repeated units covering a surface |
– explain the structure of the unit tessellation in terms of rows and columns (Communicating) | |
compare and order the areas of two or more surfaces that cannot be moved, or superimposed, by measuring in uniform informal units | |
| – predict the larger of two or more areas and check by measuring (Reasoning) | |
record comparisons of area informally using drawings, numerals and words, and by referring to the uniform informal unit used |
Learning Experiences will be added here as they are developed