Perimeter And Area Assessment

Perimeter and area can be abstract concepts to teach third graders for the first time. The lesson plan developed seeks to provide Mrs. Carson’s class with the means to concretely experiment and refine the students’ conceptions of perimeter and area. Au notes that knowledge must be accessible to the learner at every level, and the beginning of the lesson helps connect the learner to their own past experiences with farms (2012). Furthermore, the lesson is rooted in developmentally appropriate considerations and Waldorf values, guided by social efficiency and learner centered curriculum ideologies. In engaging students in skill based learning, while also focusing on the individual students desires, the lesson plan outlined allows students to take

Shiro notes that the learner centered ideology focuses on the child as the source of knowledge and favors an integrated approach to disciplines (2013). Additionally, the process of learning in learner centered ideology is highly personal and typically moves from concrete to abstract (Shiro, 2013). Starting with concrete examples of perimeter and area in the barnyard activity, students can then move into more abstract ideas of perimeter and area. An example of when perimeter and area become more abstract is the part of the lesson that asks students why the perimeter can change but the area does not during the ‘draw a scale model’ activity. The movement from concrete to abstract relates to Piaget’s developmental stages, the third graders being in the concrete operational stage (1952). Appealing to the logical and literal side of the third graders in the two activities allows them to most effectively work with perimeter and area. The barnyard activity has them construct animals pens so as to make sense of the concept of area and perimeter, satisfying their concrete way of

The first part of the lesson features aspects of accessible knowledge by drawing students into perimeter and area through prior experience with farms and farm animals. By role playing how farm animals behave and constructing the pen with meter sticks, students utilize prior experiences to inform their barnyard activity. Au echo’s sentiments of the curricular thoughts of Maria Montessori in that they both focus on the nurturing of children, providing a learning environment that fosters understanding. Specifically, Montessori delves into the importance of the spirit of children as opposed to the dumping of skills such as scientific methodologies onto students (1912/2013). Ideally, the lesson provides room for the teacher to spark interest and speak to the students on their level about perimeter and area. This spark may occur when the students complete a animal pen outside or drawing their own pen and taking ownership of it. Considering the spirit of 3rd graders as Montessori would suggest can aid in creating a lesson that creates a nurturing and meaningful learning