Perimeter, Area and Volume - Area of a Parallelogram - Planning

The Year 6 curriculum for Spring in the subject of Perimeter, Area and Volume includes a focus on the area of a parallelogram. This particular lesson aims to deepen students' understanding of area by connecting it to their prior knowledge of rectangles. Students begin by estimating the area of a parallelogram presented on a square grid, learning to recognise the importance of the base and the perpendicular height. The lesson progresses with a hands-on activity where students cut along a dotted line on a paper parallelogram to rearrange it into a rectangle, thereby revealing that the area of the parallelogram is equal to the base multiplied by the perpendicular height. This visual and tactile approach helps students grasp the concept and apply it to calculating the area of various parallelograms, reinforcing the formula they have learned.

The lesson is structured to encourage discussion and collaborative learning, with activities such as 'Partner Talk' to facilitate peer-to-peer teaching. Students are prompted to compare different quadrilaterals, recognising that while their shapes may differ, their areas can be the same. These activities are designed to address common misconceptions and solidify the relationship between the areas of rectangles and parallelograms. The lesson concludes with a plenary where students reflect on their learning, discussing which skills they found challenging and helpful resources. To cater to different levels of understanding, the lesson includes differentiated tasks that range from counting squares to calculate the area, to more complex problems involving rotated parallelograms and combined shapes for those working at greater depth.