Perimeter, Area and Volume - Area of a Triangle (3) - Planning

The educational journey into geometry continues for Year 6 students in the second week of their Spring term, where they delve into calculating the area of various triangles, not limited to right-angled ones. The lesson's objective is to enable students to apply the formula (base × perpendicular height) ÷ 2 to determine the area of different triangles, including those that form complex shapes. The class begins with a review of the formula for a triangle's area and an introduction to key terms such as 'perpendicular', 'base', and 'height'. The first activity challenges students to identify these elements within a scalene triangle and use the correct measurements to calculate the area. The lesson progresses with exercises that include estimating the area on a square grid and then using the formula to verify the estimates. This approach reinforces the concept through practical application and visual representation.

Group activities foster collaborative learning as students work through reasoning exercises, which involve analyzing more complex shapes and identifying errors in given calculations. These exercises help deepen their understanding of the area calculation for triangles. The lesson encourages students to reflect on the skills they've utilised, such as multiplication, division, and addition, and to acknowledge any challenges they've faced. The 'Give me five' plenary session prompts students to consider what they've learned and to commit to remembering the key aspects of the lesson. The differentiated worksheets cater to varying levels of fluency, from those working towards the expected level to those aiming for greater depth, where students must determine missing dimensions before applying the area formula. This structured approach ensures that misconceptions are addressed and that students gain a comprehensive understanding of how to calculate the area of any triangle.