1

Lizzy Crowell
4-6-16
392
Unit 7
th
6 Grade Geometry
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Pre-test: Page 3

Post-test: Page 4

Lesson 1: Page 5

Lesson 2: Page 10

Lesson 3: Page 13

Lesson 4: Page 16

Lesson 5: Page 19

Lesson 6: Page 22

Resource list: Page 25

Reference list: Page 26

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Unit 7 Pretest

Objective: SWBAT: Show what they know about perimeter, area, surface area, and
volume.
Standards: 6.G.A.1 6.G.A.2 6.G.A.3 6.G.A.4 MP1
Subject(s): Math

60 minutes
1 Do Now - 7 minutes
Notes:
I will give this pretest before I begin the Unit 7.
I want to give myself enough time to review student work and adjust my plans. I will use students work
to inform my instruction. For example, if the majority of students are able to plot points on the coordinate
plane, I will not spend as much class time on that skill. Also, I can use the information to identify students
who require remediation and extension on particular topics.
See my Do Now video that explains my beginning of class routines.
Often, I create do nows that have problems that connect to the task that students will be working on that
day. Here I want students to think about what they already know about geometry concepts. Some
students may draw models or create example problems. Students participate in a Think Write Pair
Share. I ask students to share out with the class.

RESOURCES

Unit 7.0 Do Now Unit 7 Pretest.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2208115/unit-7-0-do-now-unit-7-pretest-docx

2 Pretest - 53 minutes
I explain that students will be taking the Unit 7 pretest today. It does not count for a grade. It is a way for
me to learn what students know about the topics that I cover in Unit 7 and what we need to work on. I
explain that there will probably be problems on the pretest that students dont know how to do, and that is
okay. I want students to do their best and show and explain their thinking.
I review testing expectations and students move their desks apart. I pass out the test and students work
quietly. Students are engaging in MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
When students finish, I ask them to check their work. Once they have done this they can choose to read
quietly, work on other schoolwork, or work on the Geometry Word Search Puzzle.
If students do not finish the test, I set up a time (preferably today or the next day) for them to complete
their work.
RESOURCES

Unit 7.0 Word Search Puzzle.pdf

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2208118/unit-7-0-word-search-puzzle-pdf
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Unit Test

Objective: SWBAT: Show what they know on the unit 1 test.

Standards: 6.NS.B.4 6.EE.A.1 6.EE.A.3 MP1 MP2 MP3 MP6
Subject(s): Math

60 minutes
1 Do Now - 5 minutes
See my Do Now in my Strategy folder that explains my beginning of class routines.
Often, I create do nows that have problems that connect to the task that students will be working on that
day. Today I want students to demonstrate their understanding of vocabulary words they have learned
during this unit as well as practice applying the order of operations.
I ask students to share their thinking. I call on students to share their definitions and examples. I call on
other students to say whether they agree or disagree with their classmates and why. Students are
engaging in MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

RESOURCES

Unit 1.16 Unit Test Do Now.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2946307/unit-1-16-unit-test-do-now-docx
2 Optional Test Review - 5 minutes
I set a timer for 5 minutes to make sure that students have adequate time to finish the test. I call on
students who have questions from their homework. If possible, I call on other students to share how to
solve these questions.

3 Unit Test - 40 minutes

For this test I used a few of different resources. My school has a membership for www.testwiz.net. This
website has a very extensive item bank of Common Core questions. I search by standard and make
modifications as necessary. Also, my school has subscription for the assessment bank for the College
Preparatory Mathematics curriculum. The bank has a wide variety of rigorous multiple choice and open-
response questions. See www.cpm.org for more details. The Massachusetts Department of
Education also releases some of their past math questions.
I review testing expectations and students move their desks apart. I pass out the test and students work
quietly. Students are engaging in MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them,
MP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively, and MP6: Attend to precision.
If students do not finish the test, I set up a time (preferably today or the next day) for them to complete
their work.
RESOURCES

Unit 1.16 Unit Test Sample.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2946308/unit-1-16-unit-test-sample-docx
2015 BetterLesso
 5

Area of Composite Shapes

Objective: SWBAT: Find the area of a parallelogram by using the formula. Find the area of a
trapezoid and composite shapes by decomposing them into triangles, rectangles, squares, and/or
parallelograms.

Standards: 6.G.A.1 MP3 MP6 MP7 MP8 Subject(s): Math 60 minutes

1 Do Now - 7 minutes

See my Do Now in my Strategy folder that explains my beginning of class routines.

Often, I create do nows that have problems that connect to the task that students will be working on
that day. Today I want students to solve problems where they have to determine when to calculate
perimeter and when to calculate area. When finding perimeter, a common mistake is that students
include the height inside the triangle so that they add four measurements together. For the area, a
common mistake is for students to just multiply the base times the height. Other students may struggle
to identify the base and the height. I look for these mistakes and may present one as my answer if I see
multiple students making one of these mistakes while I circulate during the do now.

I call on a student to share one idea. That student then calls on the next student to share his/her idea. I
encourage students to build on what their classmates have said by using sentence starters like, I
agree/disagree with __________ because and My idea connects with ____________s idea
Students are engaging in MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

RESOURCES

7.3 Do Now.docx http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2608997/7-3-do-now-docx Unit 7.3

Classwork Area of Composite Shapes.docx http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2609001/unit-7-3-
classwork-area-of-composite-shapes-docx

2 More Quadrilaterals - 10 minutes

Notes:

Before this lesson make copies of the parallelograms and trapezoids.

I give each student a copy of these shapes and a pair of scissors.

I remove the words in italics on students notes before I print them.

I want students to take time to figure out a strategy to find the area of the parallelograms and
trapezoids. Some students will split a parallelogram into two triangles and a rectangle to find the area.
Other students may count the whole squares and squares. Other students may recognize they can
move one of the triangles to the other side of the shape to create a rectangle to find the area. Students
are engaging in MP8: Look for and make sense of repeated reasoning.

For the trapezoids some students may create two triangles and a rectangle. Some struggling students
may try to estimate the area by counting whole squares and partial squares. Other students may
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recognize that with trapezoid III they can move a triangle to create a rectangle, although this strategy
does not work with the other trapezoids.

I choose students to share their strategies under the document camera. I look for a student who
created rectangles and triangles. I also look for a student who moved a triangle to create a rectangle. If
no one uses this strategy I cut out the parallelogram and show them.

When I define parallelogram I also introduce the formula for area of base times height. When I
introduce the trapezoid I do not introduce a formula. I find that many students get confused with this
formula. Instead, I encourage students to break trapezoids up into triangles and a rectangle/square.

RESOURCES

7.3 More Quadrilaterals.docx http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2608998/7-3-more-

quadrilaterals-docx Unit 7.3 Parallelograms and Trapezoids to Print.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2609003/unit-7-3-parallelograms-and-trapezoids-to-print-
docx

3 Problem - 5 minutes

Students work on breaking the composite shapes into shapes they can use to find area. Most students
will break this shape into 2 right triangles and a rectangle. Some students may create triangles that are
not right triangles and a rectangle. They will struggle to calculate the area because the grid will not
allow them to accurately calculate the area.

RESOURCES

7.3 Problem.docx http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2609000/7-3-problem-docx

4 Area of Composite Shapes - 3 minutes

We quickly review the strategy of breaking composite shapes that we know. There is more than one
way to do this with many composite shapes. I emphasize to students that they need to find a way that
is efficient and works with the measurements that are given. Sometimes they will have to do detective
work to figure out missing measurements.

Some students look at the composite shape and immediately say, I dont know how to find the area of
that kind of shape. I have two students come and show their different strategies for breaking up the
shape from the previous section.

RESOURCES

7.3 Area of Composite Shapes.docx http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2608995/7-3-area-of-

composite-shapes-docx

5 Practice - 15 minutes

Note:

Before this lesson I Post A Key.

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I have a student read over the directions. I review expectations and students start working
independently. Students are engaging in MP6: Attend to precision and MP7: Look for and make use of
structure.

As students work I walk around to monitor student progress and behavior. If students are struggling, I
may ask them one or more of the following questions:

How can you break this shape up into shapes you know how to deal with?

What are the base and height of the triangle? How do you know?

How can you find the area of this shape? Why does that work?

When students complete their work, they raise their hands. I quickly scan their work. If they are on
track, I send them to check with the key. If there are problems, I tell students what they need to revise.
If students successfully complete the chart they can work on the challenge questions.

RESOURCES

7.3 Practice.docx http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2608999/7-3-practice-docx 7.3

Challenge.docx http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2608996/7-3-challenge-docx

6 Closure and Ticket to Go - 10 minutes

I ask students to turn to problem 7. I ask students to share their thinking about finding the area of this
shape. Students participate in a Think Pair Share. I want students to recognize that they can break this
shape into a parallelogram, a rectangle, and a triangle. Some students may struggle to identify the base
of the triangle. By comparing the two parallel lines, we can see that the base of the triangle is 7 yards.
Students are engaging in MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others and
MP7: Look for and make use of structure.

I pass out the Ticket to Go and the Homework.

RESOURCES

Unit 7.3 TTG Area of Composite Shapes.docx http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2609004/unit-7-

3-ttg-area-of-composite-shapes-docx Unit 7.3 HW Area of Composite Shapes.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2609002/unit-7-3-hw-area-of-composite-shapes-docx
MAKING PROGRESS FROM TRIANGLES TO COMPOSITE SHAPES Intervention and Extension

Some students struggled on the ticket to go from the previous lesson where students learned about
finding the area of triangles. At the beginning of this lesson, I briefly went over the previous nights
homework. I presented answers that made some of the common mistakes students had made on their
tickets to go and had them correct me. Here are a few examples of students who struggled on the Area
of Triangles ticket to go and demonstrated progress on the Area of Composite Shapes Ticket to Go.

Student A:

On her triangles ticket to go, she struggled to differentiate and calculate perimeter and area. To
calculate the perimeter of the triangle, she multiplied 6.2 inches by 8.4 inches. She mistakenly thought
that this was a right triangle, instead of identifying the base and height as 10 inches and 5 inches. She
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also struggled to multiply with decimals, forgetting to count the 1 she carried and forgetting how to put
back her decimal in her final answer. For area, she first doubled each measurement, including the
height inside the triangle. Then she added these numbers up. My guess is that she applied her strategy
of finding perimeter of a rectangle, where there are 2 pairs of matching sides, to this triangle. Needless
to say she ended the lesson with many gaps in her understanding.

On her composite shapes ticket to go the next day, this student demonstrated a significant amount of
growth. She was able to correctly calculate the area of the rectangle as well as the triangle. She is still
struggling on identifying the base of a triangle. She labeled the hypotenuse as 20 feet, instead of the
base that is one of the sides of the rectangle.

Student B:

On his triangles ticket to go, he struggled to find the perimeter of the triangle. He mistakenly added the
base and the height together to get 15 inches. For area, he correctly identified the base and height. He
multiplied them together to get 50 and then divided it by 2. He made a mistake in his long division,
writing that 5 4 = 0. The student should have checked his work and recognized that 2 square inches
cannot be of 50.

On his composite shapes ticket to go the next day, he was able to correctly found the area of the
rectangle and the triangle. He also accurately divided 160 by 2. Like Student A, he did not correctly
identify the base of the triangle. He also forgot to include units with his answer.

Student C:

On her triangles ticket to go she confused perimeter and area. She was able to correctly identify the
base and height of the triangle. She used the formula to find that the area of the triangle was 25 square
inches, but she thought that was the perimeter. For the perimeter she simply listed the height of the
triangle.

On her composite shapes ticket to go the next days ticket to go she was able to correctly calculate the
area of the rectangle as 160 square feet. She was able to find the area of the triangle by multiplying 20 x
8 and then divide 160 by 2 to get 80 square feet. I am unsure why she placed 64 inside of the triangle.
Instead of adding the area of the rectangle and the triangle together she just wrote down the area of
the triangle. She needs to make sure she carefully reads the problem to make sure she answers the
correct question.

Next Steps:

Although these students showed growth, each of them still has areas that they need to continue to work
on. At the beginning of the next lesson I will pass back these tickets to go so students can see their
growth and correct mistakes. I will also continue to check a couple homework problems as a class
before passing them in. This gives me another opportunity to commit common mistakes and have
students correct them out loud. I will also take this data into consideration when I make my small
groups for the Area, Perimeter, and Circumference lesson.

Unit 7.4 Student A Triangles TTG.JPG http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2767987/unit-7-4-

student-a-triangles-ttg-jpg Unit 7.4 Student A Composite Shapes TTG.JPG
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2767986/unit-7-4-student-a-composite-shapes-ttg-jpg Unit
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7.4 Student B Triangles TTG.JPG http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2767989/unit-7-4-student-b-

triangles-ttg-jpg Unit 7.4 Student B Composite Shapes TTG.JPG
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2767988/unit-7-4-student-b-composite-shapes-ttg-jpg Unit
7.4 Student C Triangles TTG.JPG http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2767991/unit-7-4-student-c-
triangles-ttg-jpg Unit 7.4 Student C Composite Shapes TTG.JPG
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2767990/unit-7-4-student-c-composite-shapes-ttg-jpg

2015 BetterLesson
 10

Designing Boxes

Objective: SWBAT: Define surface area and volume. Calculate surface area and
volume of rectangular prisms and cubes. Design boxes to meet certain requirements.
Standards: 6.G.A.2 6.G.A.4 MP2 MP3 MP5 MP6 MP8
Subject(s): Math

60 minutes
1 Do Now - 7 minutes
See my Do Now in my Strategy folder that explains my beginning of class routines.
Often, I create do nows that have problems that connect to the task that students will be working on that
day. Today I want students to review volume and surface area. A common mistake is for students to
confuse surface area and volume. I walk around and see how students are progressing.
I ask students what strategies they are thinking about to answer the questions. I call on students to share
what they think and why. I push students to use precise language, including the correct units for each
measurement. Students are engaging in MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the
reasoning of others and MP6: Attend to precision.

RESOURCES

7.13 Do Now.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634165/7-13-do-now-docx

Unit 7.13 Classwork Designing Boxes.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634171/unit-7-13-classwork-designing-boxes-docx

2 Review - 3 minutes
I call on students to read over the definitions and fill in the blanks. It is crucial that students understand
the difference between these two terms.
RESOURCES

7.13 Review.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634168/7-13-review-docx

3 Problem - 10 minutes
I read over the problem. Students participate in a Think Write Pair Share. If students struggle, I
encourage them to reference our work so far in this lesson. I walk around and monitor student
progress. Some students may struggle with expression 2 and 3. Expression 2 represents the surface
area of Box C since 2 times 2 is 6 and there are 6 identical faces. Expression 3 represents the
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volume of Box A, since you would multiply 2 x 3 x 6.5 or 6 x 6 . Students are engaging in MP2: Reason
abstractly and quantitatively and MP6: Attend to precision.
I call on 2-3 students to come up and show and explain their work.
RESOURCES

7.13 Problem.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634167/7-13-problem-docx
4 Designing Boxes - 20 minutes
Notes:
Before this lesson, I use the ticket to gos from the previous lesson to Create Homogeneous
Groups.
I give each group a set of 24 cubes.
I give each group a Group Work Rubric.
I Post a Key for these problems around the room.
I read over the task and introduce the blocks. We go over directions and expectations. My goal is that
students complete the table and answer the Analyzing Your Designs questions. If groups struggle to
draw the boxes on the isometric paper, I tell them to come back to it after their finish the questions.
As students work I walk around to monitor student progress and behavior. Students are engaging
in MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically and MP6: Attend to precision.
If students are struggling, I may ask them one or more of the following questions:
What do you know? What are you trying to figure out?
What do you notice about the dimensions of each box?
What strategies do you have for finding surface area?
Does your answer make sense?
Which design do you think is best? Why?
For the table, I created an extra row in the table that students will not be able to fill in (there are only 6
different boxes). I want students to double check to make sure they have found all of the boxes, rather
than just stopping when they fill the table. A common mistake is that students turn the same box onto its
side and call it a new design. If that occurs, I ask them to compare this box with the others they already
have.
When students complete their work, they raise their hands. I quickly scan their work. If they are on track,
I send them to check with the key. If there are problems, I tell students what they need to revise. If
students successfully complete a practice set they can move onto the next set. If they complete the
problems they can move onto the challenge problems.
RESOURCES

7.13 Designing Boxes.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634164/7-13-designing-boxes-docx

7.13 Drawing Boxes.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634166/7-13-drawing-boxes-docx

7.13 Analzying Your Designs.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634162/7-13-analzying-your-designs-docx
 12

7.13 Challenge.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634163/7-13-challenge-docx

Group Work Rubric.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634185/group-work-rubric-docx

USING BLOCKS TO DESIGN BOXES

Developing a Conceptual Understanding

Students enjoyed working with the blocks to design the boxes (here and here) The blocks were essential
in having students check their designs. Sometimes students would think of a design, but once they
created it they realized it didnt work. Sometimes students would think of a design, and through building it
they were able to show and explain why it worked.
Next time, I want to have more blocks so that students work in groups of partners, rather than in groups of
3-4. This would ensure that all students are engaged at once.

Unit 7.13 Box A.JPG

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2929499/unit-7-13-box-a-jpg

Unit 7.13 Box B.JPG

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2929500/unit-7-13-box-b-jpg

5 Closure and Ticket to Go - 10 minutes

For the Closure, I have students return to the Analyzing Your Designs questions. I ask students to
share their thinking about which box would use the least amount of cardboard. I ask, How does the box
you picked compare to the other boxes? I want students to realize that this box is more like a cube than
the other designs, and it has a smaller surface area. I ask, Why do you think the company wants to
create a box using the least amount of cardboard? I want students to realize all the materials that the
company uses costs money and that a company always wants to minimize their costs. Students are
engaged in MP6: Attend to precision and MP7: Look for and make use of repeated reasoning.
If I have time I ask the question in part (d). I want students to realize that there are only two rectangular
boxes that fit 26 blocks, and they have larger surface areas.
I pass out the Ticket to Go and the Homework.

RESOURCES

Unit 7.13 TTG Designing Boxes.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634173/unit-7-13-ttg-designing-boxes-docx

Unit 7.13 HW Designing Boxes.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2634172/unit-7-13-hw-designing-boxes-docx
2015 BetterLesson
 13

Area of Shapes on the Coordinate Grid

Objective: SWBAT calculate the area of squares, rectangles, triangles, parallelograms

and trapezoids on a coordinate grid.
Standards: 6.G.A.3 MP4 MP5 MP6
Subject(s): Math

60 minutes
1 Think About It - 7 minutes
Students work in pairs on the Think About It problem. After 4-5 minutes of work time, I bring the class
back together. First, I ask for a volunteer to offer his/her paper for the document camera.
I project the coordinate grid, and ask students to vote about whether the figure is graphed
correctly. Students have not had practice with graphing ordered pairs since our unit on the coordinate
plane, so I will spend time talking through each vertex, if it seems like the class needs a refresher.
The goal of this problem is to get kids ready to work with perimeter and area on the coordinate grid.
RESOURCES

Think About It.pdf

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2817974/think-about-it-pdf

2 Intro to New Material - 15 minutes

In this lesson, students will use their knowledge of the coordinate grid, along with the area formulas
they've learned in this unit.
These are the steps that students will follow, as they work through problems:
Plot the vertices on the coordinate grid and label each vertex with a given letter
Connect the points in the order in which they are plotted
Check to ensure that the shape formed is the shape described in the problem
Label the dimensions of the shape by counting the number of units that measure the dimensions
Write the appropriate formula for calculating the area of the shape, substitute in the given information,
and simplify to determine the area
Include appropriate units on the answer

Students may also calculate the area by counting the number of square units inside the shape when
finding the area of squares and rectangles. For other figures, they can count units to get an estimate of
the number of square units, but they cannot rely on this strategy to come to the final area.
For the first problem in the Intro to New Material section, I have students plot the points on their own,
before showing my paper on the document camera. Once students have drawn their trapezoids, I pepper
the class with questions to have them lead us through finding the area (what's the formula, what are the
lengths of the bases, how did you determine the lengths, what's the height, how would you simplify this,
what are the units, etc.)

RESOURCES
 14

Intro to New Material.pdf

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2817971/intro-to-new-material-pdf
3 Partner Practice - 15 minutes
Students work in pairs on the Partner Practice section. As they work, I circulate around the room and
check in with each group. I am looking for:
Are students plotting points correctly?
Are students labeling each point as they go?
Are students connecting the points in the order in which they plot them?
Are students correctly identifying or creating the geometric figure?
Are students correctly identifying the dimensions of each shape?
Are students correctly applying the area formula and calculating the area of a figure?
Are students showing all of their work, including the substitution, when they find the area of each figure?
Are students including units on their answers?

I am asking:
How did you determine the dimensions of the shape?
When did you know this was going to be a (name of the specific shape in the problem)?
Why isn't this a (a different quadrilateral)?
How did you determine the area of the shape? What is the formula for finding the area of this
shape?
Why did you use square units?

A trapezoid sample for Problem C is included. The student's written work says "How I know the point I
plotted represents the fourth vertex for a trapezoid is because it has one pair of parallel sides."
After partner practice time, students independently complete the Check for Understanding problem. I pull
a popscicle stick as a way to randomly select a student's paper to display on the document camera. The
class gives the student positive and critical feedback on the work.

RESOURCES

Partner Practice.pdf
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2817972/partner-practice-pdf

trapezoid sample.pdf
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2817975/trapezoid-sample-pdf
4 Independent Practice - 20 minutes
Students work on the Independent Practice problem set. As shown in the student work sample, students
graph and label the points and then show all of their work with the formulas in the space below the grid.
As students work on Problem 4, I ask students if they could have drawn the parallelogram in any other
way. Some students will draw a rectangle, and I ask them to prove to me that they have a parallelogram.
Problem 12 can be difficult for students because there is not a coordinate grid included with the
problem. I let students struggle a bit with this, as we'll talk about it at the end of independent work time.
RESOURCES
 15

Independent Practice.pdf
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2817970/independent-practice-pdf

student work sample.pdf

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2817973/student-work-sample-pdf

5 Closing and Exit Ticket - 8 minutes

After 20 minutes of independent work time, I bring the class back together to discuss Problem 12. I have
students share out how they decided to attack the problem. After hearing strategies from one another, I
have students work in pairs to check their work and adjust their answers if they'd like.
Students complete the Exit Ticket independently to close the lesson.
RESOURCES

Exit Ticket.pdf
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2817969/exit-ticket-pdf
2015 BetterLesson
 16

Nets and Surface Area

Objective: SWBAT use nets to find the surface area of prisms and pyramids.
Standards: 6.G.A.4 MP1 MP2 MP3 MP4 MP5 MP6 MP7 MP8
Subject(s): Math

60 minutes
1 Do NOW - 15 minutes
The students will be looking at the faces, edges, and vertices of several prisms and pyramids to see if
they can find a relationship between them to then make a generalization about any prism or
pyramid. This is called Eulers formula: F + V - E = 2 or F + V - 2 = E.
Im going to give the students some background information about Euler before I let them start to
work. There is a lot of information on the internet about Euler.
For example: ( taken from Interactive schooling)
Leonhard Euler was an eighteenth century Swiss mathematician and physicist, who made enormous
contributions to a number of different fields. He is well remembered for his work in analytic geometry,
trigonometry, geometry, calculus and number theory.
Arguably, Euler's greatest achievement is the formula he developed, which expresses the relationship
between the number of faces, vertices and edges in a solid.
Students can work together to see if they can come up with the formula. Since it is not absolutely
necessary for them to notice this, you can give them some time to work and then walk through with them
how to get it. This is not meant to be an exercise that stresses them out. Just an exercise to get them
thinking and noticing items.
Getting students to notice patterns and then make generalizations about their patterns by putting it into a
formula, supports SMP 7 and SMP 8.
Tools: Chart with prisms and pyramids.
RESOURCES

DO NOW.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2319209/do-now-docx
2 Finding Surface Area - 25 minutes
Im going to walk the students through how to find the surface area of a rectangular prism. I will begin my
discussion by telling the students that in order to find the surface area of a 3-D object, you have to add up
the areas of all of the faces. I will also give them some real life examples of surface area. We find
surface area when we want to wrap a gift. Surface area is used to find out how much paper is needed to
make a label for a food item. Surface area is also used to create boxes that store food items. In order to
make finding the surface area more conceptual and concrete, I will show them what they net looks like
and how we can use the net to find the surface area of the 3-D object.
As we go through the example, Im going to be asking the students where the numbers came from
(SMP2: what do the numbers tell me). I want them to make the connections of where to place the
numbers for their nets and how the numbers are combined to find the area.
 17

Finally, we will find the areas of all the faces and add them together. I will be asking the students why we
add the area of the faces together. I want them to make the connection between the definition of surface
area (sum of all the faces) to adding. Students should know that sum means to add.
Tools: Rectangular prism example
RESOURCES

Using nets to find surface area.pptx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/3213136/using-nets-to-find-surface-area-pptx

Finding surface area.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2319212/finding-surface-area-docx

Using nets to find surface area notes.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2319211/using-nets-to-find-surface-area-notes-docx

3 More 3-D Objects and Surface Area - 25 minutes

Students are going to work on some example problems to find the surface area of other 3-D
objects. They will work this out in their notes. Each example is already in its net form.
Square pyramid As students are working out this problem, watch to see that they are using 12 cm for
the height of the each triangle. Students may struggle with this because only one triangle is marked. If
they do have problems, ask them what they know about the faces of this pyramid? Does it make sense
to have triangles of different heights?
Students should add together:
Square: 15 x15 = 225
Triangles: 15 x 12/2 = 90. Since there are 4, they will need to multiply by 4 or add this in 4 times.
Total surface area: 585 cm
Cube: Students will need to know that all sides of the cube are the same. This will be a great example
of SMP 7 and 8 by asking students what they notice about the surface area of a cube and if they can find
a way to show it (6s).
Most students will do this:
7 x 7 = 49
7x 7 = 49
7 x 7 = 49
7 x 7 = 49
7x 7 = 49
7 x 7 = 49
Surface area: 294yd
Expert level learners will see that they can take the side lengths and square them and then multiply by 6.
Triangular Prism
Students should see 2 triangles and 3 rectangles.
Solution:
Triangles: 9 x 12/2 = 216
Triangle 9 x 12/2 = 216
Rectangle: 25 x12 = 300. Since there are 3 rectangles, they will need to do this 3 times or multiply by 3
Expert level learners will see that they only need to find the area of 1 triangle since there are 2 of them
and that they only need to find the area of 1 rectangle and multiply it by 3.
 18

As students work through these problems, they are implementing practices 4 and 5. They are using the
visual of the net to help them model the math for finding surface area.
Tools: Student examples
RESOURCES

Student Examples.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2319213/student-examples-docx
4 Closure - 20 minutes
For the closure, I want to see how the students will do with creating their own net and finding the surface
area. The reason I want to do this is because they will be working on a project and will be using their own
nets to create a robot. They will then need to find the surface area to cover the robot with tin foil. So, I
will be watching for what students struggle with to work out these kinks before I let them loose on their
project. Im expecting them to struggle with how to measure out the net. I will have grid paper available
for those that cant get started. Grid paper will help with straight lines and will also help with
measurement. I will also be giving them rulers to make exact measurements. (SMP 6: attending to
precision)
Im giving more time for this closure to allow the students time to think about how they want to start this
problem (SMP 1: finding an entry point). For students that struggle, I will have them create a cube. This
way they know that all sides need to be the same length. Other students can create any net they
want. They should create the net, assign reasonable side lengths and then calculate the surface area
using their net.
If time permits or if there is a need to use collaboration, have the students do a HUSUPU to find a partner
to discuss strategies and/or solutions. (SMP3: justifying answers)
Tools: Grid paper and rulers

RESOURCES

Closure directions.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2319214/closure-directions-docx
2015 BetterLesson
 19

Surface Area of 3D Solids

Objective: SWBAT find the surface area of polyhedra.

Standards: 6.G.A.4 MP6
Subject(s): Math

60 minutes
1 Do Now - 10 minutes
Students have worked on identifying polyhedrons in previous lessons. The Do Now questions are an
assessment of their knowledge.
Do Now
1. Ashley has a polyhedron whose faces are all congruent, and it has 4 vertices. Which solid does Ashley
have?
2. Jon has 2 cubes. Henry has a square pyramid. How many faces do they have all together?
3. How many edges does an octagonal pyramid have?
Students will have 5 minutes to answer the questions and then they will discuss their answers with their
group. If students are unsure about their answers, I will encourage them to use their notes to help
them. As a class we will review any unanswered questions.

WHO AM I
Connection to Prior Knowledge

After teaching this lesson, I thought about how it could be interesting and beneficial to students if the Do
Now was more student centered. Instead of giving students the 3 questions, next time I will have
students create and pose their own questions to their group. This would be a "Who am I" activity. I will
instruct students to write a prompt describing a polyhedron. Then, they will take turns presenting these
questions to their group to see if they're able to identify the polyhedron.
This activity would allow students to check one another's understanding of polyhedrons. Also, it would
encourage student discussion.
2 Mini Lesson - 15 minutes
For this lesson, students will be introduced to the concept of surface area and they will apply it to
polyhedrons.
What is area? Can we find the area of a polyhedron?
Students should recall that area is the amount of square units needed to cover a surface. Some students
may think we can find the area of a polyhedron, so I will pose the following questions.
When we had 2 dimensional figures, we were able to find the area. What do you think it means to find
the surface area of a polyhedron?
Students will share their ideas. They may infer that since there are several faces to a polyhedron, we
need to find the areas of those faces. I will explain that surface area is the sum of the areas of all outside
faces of a 3-D figure. We will work through some examples together, so students have an understanding
of how to organize their work. See Surface Area of Polyhedron Lesson for examples.
Example 1
 20

What type of polyhedron is this?

Students should recognize this as a rectangular prism.
How many faces does it have? What shape are the faces? What does the net look like?
Students should identify that it has 6 rectangular faces. We will draw the net.
Do all the faces have the same dimensions? How can we organize our work so we can distinguish
between the faces?
Students should notice that the surfaces have different dimensions and therefore we should label the
faces. We will label the faces: top, bottom, left, right, front, back. I will explain to students that they can
also label the faces with numbers.
How can we find the area of each surface? Do we have to find the area of both the front and back, left
and right, or top and bottom faces?
Students should recall the area formula for rectangles. We will apply the formula to find the area of the
faces. Students should understand that we don't need to find the area of the congruent faces, therefore
saving them time and work. However, a common mistake is for students to forget to multiply the area of
these congruent faces by two.
What is the next step to find the surface area of the polyhedron?
Students should realize that the final step is to add all of the areas together.
We will continue on to examples 2 and 3, with students leading the discussion of how to find the surface
area.
RESOURCES

Surface Area of Polyhedron Lesson.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2846993/surface-area-of-polyhedron-lesson-docx

3 Independent Practice - 15 minutes

Students will be given a Surface Area of Polyhedrons Independent Practice Worksheet to
complete. Although it is independent work, I will encourage students to discuss their work with their
group. Students may have difficulty identifying the dimensions of the faces, especially for the triangular
pyramids. It is important that they remember that the base and height always form a right angle.
As students work, I will focus on the groups with lower level math students. Since there are a lot of steps,
it is important and helpful for them to organize their work. I will also use polyhedron manipulatives to help
them identify the faces.
After students have completed the worksheet, we will discuss their strategies and work.

RESOURCES

Surface Area of Polyhedrons Independent Practice.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/2847101/surface-area-of-polyhedrons-independent-practice-docx
4 Lesson Summary - 5 minutes
To assess students' understanding of the concept of surface area, I will ask a series of questions.
When find the surface area of a polyhedron, will you ever be able to find the area of only one face?
Students should consider a cube, where all the faces have the same area.
How can you organize your work to show the steps of find surface area?
Students may suggest drawing a net, labeling the faces, labeling their work, ...
When you have congruent faces, what is a shortcut?
Students should suggest that you can multiply the area by the number of congruent faces?
 21

When you find the area of all the faces, what should you do?
Student should remember to add the areas and label their answer square units.
2015 BetterLesson
 22

Quadrilaterals and the Coordinate Plane

Objective: Students will be able to: Define congruent. Classify a rectangle,

parallelogram, trapezoid, square, and rhombus by its characteristics. Plot and identify
a point on the coordinate plane. Find the length of sides of a quadrilateral on a
coordinate plane. Calculate the area of quadrilaterals on a coordinate plane.
Standards: 6.G.A.1 6.G.A.3
Subject(s): Math

60 minutes
1 Do Now - 5 minutes
See my Do Now in my Strategy folder that explains my beginning of class routines.
Often, I create do nows that have problems that connect to the task that students will be working on that
day. For this lesson I want students to review plotting coordinate points. Common student mistakes are
switching the x and y coordinate and not paying attention to negative signs. Some students struggle
when there is a zero as a coordinate, such as in problem 5 and 6. We will review answers and go over
any common mistakes I saw when I was walking around. I ask students to share out strategies they have
for remembering how to plot coordinate points.
RESOURCES

6.4 Do Now.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/1962765/6-4-do-now-docx
2 Classifying Quadrilaterals - 20 minutes
After the Do Now, I have a student read the objectives for the day. This section of the lesson may be a
review for your students, or it may be introduction to new material. Change the length/depth of this
section of the lesson depending on the needs of your students.
I ask students to share out what a prefix is. I am looking for students to tell me that a prefix is a group of
letters that is placed at the beginning of a word that has a specific meaning. Many students will be able to
share that the prefix tri means three. I have my students think-pair-share about words that begin with
tri and quad for 2-3 minutes. Some examples may include triangle, tripod, triathlon, trio, triplet,
trilingual, quadrant, quadruplet, and quadruple. See my video on Think Pair Share in my Strategy folder
for an explanation.
I want students to make a connection between the prefix of quad and the meaning of quadrilateral. My
hope is that with knowledge of prefixes, students will have an easier time recalling the meaning of some
mathematical terms.
I have students read through the definitions on the Quadrilateral Notes page. Here are some questions I
may ask:
How are all the quadrilaterals similar? (By definition they all have 4 sides)
What is the difference between a rectangle and a square? Use the word congruent in your answer.
What is the difference between a parallelogram and a rhombus?
Can you call a rectangle a square? Why or why not?
Can you call a square a rectangle? Why or why not?
 23

Can you call a square a rhombus? Why or why not?

Can you call a rhombus a square? Why or why not?
If students struggle with these questions, have them draw a Venn diagram for each question. Students
can then organize the specific similarities and differences of the two shapes. Some students struggle
with questions like the last 4 listed. A square can be called a rectangle because it meets the criteria of a
rectangle (4 sides, 2 sets of parallel sides, and 4 right angles). It is important that students understand
that although a square can be called a rectangle, the best and most specific name for the quadrilateral is
a square. A rectangle cannot be called a square because it does not have 4 congruent sides.
It is important to me that students use the Mathematical Practice 6: Attend to precision with their
language throughout this lesson. Students need to be using specific mathematical terms to describe the
characteristics of quadrilaterals and how they compare to other quadrilaterals. I push students to use
terms like: angles, parallel, and congruent.
I pass out the Naming Quadrilateral reference sheet. We fill in the missing descriptions on the back. I go
over how to use the series of questions to identify the first quadrilateral on the Practice page as an
example. I walk around to make sure students are writing the specific characteristics of the rhombus
under How do you know?
I give students 3-5 minutes to classify and write their answers. I walk around and monitor student
progress. Some students may struggle with number 2 and 4 if they compare the side lengths visually. I
have rulers available if students want to use them to compare side lengths.
When most students are finished we quickly review a couple of the examples and reasoning behind the
answers.
RESOURCES

6.4 Classifying Quadrilaterals.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/1962764/6-4-classifying-quadrilaterals-docx

Unit 6.4 Naming Quadrilaterals Reference Sheet.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/1962769/unit-6-4-naming-quadrilaterals-reference-sheet-docx

3 Quadrilaterals on the Coordinate Plane - 25 minutes

We work through number one together. I remind students that they have their Naming Quadrilaterals
reference sheet and I have rulers available if needed. For part (a) I want students to explain that the
missing coordinate must be (8,9) because a rectangle must have 2 sets of parallel sides. If you place a
point at (7,9) or (9,9) the quadrilateral will only have 1 set of parallel sides, making it a trapezoid. We
review perimeter and area of a rectangle and calculate them accordingly. I have students think-pair-
share about part (d). See my video on Think-Pair-Sharein my Strategy folder for an explanation. Some
students may say no, since the quadrilateral has 4, sides, 4 right angles and 2 sets of parallel sides, it is a
rectangle. Other students may say that it meets the criteria of a parallelogram, since it has 4 sides and 2
sets of parallel sides. Both of these arguments are correct. If I asked what would be the
most specific name for this quadrilateral, the answer would have to be rectangle.
Students work on numbers 2-5 independently. I tell students that if they are stuck to 1) use their
reference sheets, 2) ask a neighbor, 3) ask the teacher. During this time I am also looking to see what
strategies students are using on problem 3 so I can have students share during the closure. When
students have completed a problem, they raise their hand. I quickly scan their work. If their work is
adequate, I send them to the posted keys to check their answers. See my video Posting A Key in my
Strategy folder for more details. If students are struggling here are a few things I may do:
Tell them to go back and use their Naming Quadrilaterals sheet to help them.
 24

Give them the MCAS Reference Sheet to find formulas for area and perimeter.
Have them pair up with someone to help trouble shoot.
Have them join other students who are struggling and work with me at a small table.
If students are successful on these problems and finish early here are some options:
Ask them to create and plot 3 different rectangles that have the same perimeter as Carries garden in
problem 4. What do they notice about the area of the different rectangles?
Ask them to create and plot a parallelogram and trapezoid that have the same area as the rhombus in
problem 5.
Ask them to serve as a helper for students who are struggling.
RESOURCES

6.4 Quadrilaterals on the Coordinate Plane.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/1962763/6-4-quadrilaterals-on-the-coordinate-plane-docx

MCAS Reference Sheet.docx

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/1962782/mcas-reference-sheet-docx

Blank Grids.docx
http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/1962783/blank-grids-docx

4 Closure and Ticket to Go - 10 minutes

Together we work through problem 3. I ask a student to share the most specific name of the quadrilateral
and have other students add details/terms if needed. I ask a student to share how he/she found the
answer to parts (c) and (d). I choose 1-2 students to display their work under the document camera and
explain how they found the area for the trapezoid. Some students may split it into a square and a triangle
and find the areas. Other students may split the trapezoid into two triangles and find the area. Students
who struggle with using formulas may count the full squares and squares and add them up. I
encourage students to use formulas to find the area.
With the remaining time I pass out the ticket to go and have students complete it. I also collect their work
so that I can see how individual students tackled the problems.

RESOURCES

Unit 6.4 TTG Quadrilaterals on the coordinate plane.doc

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/resource/1962784/unit-6-4-ttg-quadrilaterals-on-the-coordinate-plane-doc
2015 BetterLesson
 25

Resource list
Printer
Paper
Colored pencils
Grid paper
Holy Spirit
 26

References
BetterLessons.com