Perimeter and Area - Area of Compound Shapes - Worksheet

The provided content outlines a comprehensive lesson plan focusing on the calculation of the area of compound shapes. Aimed at enhancing students' understanding of geometry, the lesson is aligned with the National Curriculum objective to calculate and compare the area of rectangles, including squares, using standard units such as centimetres and metres. To facilitate the learning process, the lesson utilises differentiated worksheets and teaching slides. Essential vocabulary for the lesson includes terms like 'area', 'shape', 'calculate', 'compound shapes', 'length', and 'width'. The primary goal is to teach children how to calculate the area of compound shapes by carefully splitting them into smaller, manageable parts, ensuring they accurately match lengths to the appropriate sections of the shape. The lesson emphasises that regardless of how the shapes are divided, the total area remains constant. Prior experience in drawing shapes is beneficial for students undertaking this lesson.

The lesson encourages students to apply their existing knowledge of area calculation using the formula for rectangles. With the help of worksheets, students practice splitting simple compound shapes in various ways to determine the area. As their skills advance, they tackle more complex compound shapes that require splitting into three parts instead of two. The process involves labelling and calculating the area of each part to understand how the area of the overall shape is unaffected by the manner in which it is divided. Key questions prompt students to think about the formula for the area of a rectangle, identify rectangles within compound shapes, explore different ways to split the shapes, and consider whether different splitting methods yield different area results. This approach helps students grasp the concept of area in compound shapes, preparing them for more advanced geometric problems.