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MODELING AREA
AREA FORMULA LAB
Students will be able to model area formulas by decomposing
and rearranging shapes.

6.G.1 Find the area of right triangles, other triangles, special

quadrilaterals, and polygons by composing into rectangles or
decomposing into triangles and other shapes; apply these
techniques in the context of solving real-world and mathematical
problems.

6.8B Model area formulas for parallelograms, trapezoids, and

triangles by decomposing and rearranging parts of these shapes.

Ideas for Implementation: This is a great hands-on activity to introduce the area
for each shape. Students get to work with this hands-on activity to discover the
model of area formulas of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids.
Notes: I would NOT recommend trying to do this book in one class period. I
would suggest taking time to set up the book (5-10) minutes and then modeling the
formulas before any guided notes or practice. For example, you could model
rectangles and parallelograms on one day, then triangles the next, and trapezoids
the last.
Directions:
1. Print one book per student (regular paper).
2. Print one page of gridded shapes per student (cardstock).
3. Fold in half of the line.
4. Follow the directions on each page to model area formulas.

©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2015

 FIGURE A

FIGURE B
FIGURE C

FIGURE D

FIGURE F

FIGURE E
 Name: ___________________________
RUBRIC Date: _______________ Class: ______

ABOVE MET BELOW

STANDARD STANDARD STANDARD

Model area Model area formulas Model area

MATHEMATICAL CONTENT

formulas for for parallelograms, formulas for

parallelograms, trapezoids, and parallelograms,

modeling
trapezoids, and triangles by trapezoids, and
triangles by decomposing and triangles by
decomposing and rearranging parts of decomposing and
rearranging parts these shapes rearranging parts
of these shapes with few errors of these shapes

AREA
without error with several errors

____ points ____ points ____ points

Provides Provides some Does not provide

MATHEMATICAL

thoughtful reasoning and thoughtful

THINKING

reasoning and explanation reasoning and

explanation explanation

____ points ____ points ____ points

PARTICIPATI

Participates fully Participates with Participates with

minor redirects major redirects
ON

from teacher from teacher

____ points ____ points ____ points

Shows work for Shows the work for Shows work for
SHOWS

100% of the 80% or more of the less than 80% of

WORK

questions questions the questions

____ points ____ points ____ points

Follows directions Follows directions Follows directions

DIRECTIONS
FOLLOWS

and criteria fully and criteria with and criteria with

few errors multiple errors.

____ points ____ points ____ points

BY: __________________________
TOTAL POINTS : ____________
12 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 1
 APPLY AREA

11

.4
.2

10

10
5.4

13

12
12
1
14.6

“to find the area of the triangle,

1 “the area of the
you can use A = (10.4) · 12 because triangle is equal to
2
10.4 is the tallest point” -Mo the area of the
trapezoid because
you get 120 with
“the area of the triangle is exactly both formulas”
half the area of the trapezoid"
-Art -Priscilla

Based on your exploration and your understanding of the

formulas, determine if you agree or disagree with the
statements above.

I ________________ with Mo because _______________________

___________________________________________________________
I ________________ with Art because ________________________
___________________________________________________________
I ________________ with Priscilla because ____________________
__________________________________________________________

2 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 11

 APPLY AREA RECTANGLES
15 in Cut out “Figure C” and glue it below. Label the base and height
12 in of the rectangle.

12 in
in B
20

in
20 in

20

15 in
18 in

“figures A and B will have the same

area because you multiply 12(20)” “you can use the
-Ryan same formula to
determine the
area of shapes
A, B, and C”
1. Count the number of squares for each of the measurements
“figure C has the largest area" -Felicia below:
-Li
a. base ___________
Based on your exploration and your understanding of the b. height ___________
formulas, determine if you agree or disagree with the
statements above. c. total number of squares ___________

2. How are the base and height related to the total number of
I ________________ with Ryan because _______________________ squares?
___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
I ________________ with Li because __________________________ __________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
I ________________ with Felicia because ______________________ __________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
10 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 3
 TRIANGLES TRAPEZOIDS
The tables below show the areas of 3 triangles and 3 rectangles. 1. Count the number of squares for each of the measurements
below:
RECTANGLE a. base 1 ___________
BASE HEIGHT AREA a. base 2 ___________
A 2 4 8 b. height ___________
B 5 10 50 c. approximate number of squares ___________
C 7 8 56
2. How is the area of the trapezoid related to the area of the
parallelogram?
TRIANGLE __________________________________________________________
BASE HEIGHT AREA __________________________________________________________
A 2 4 4
3. What is another way you could break up the trapezoid or
B 5 10 25 rearrange it into shapes to find the area? Apply your ideas to
C 7 8 28 “Figure F” and paste the shapes below.

a. Using this information, describe how the area of the triangle

is related to the area of the rectangle?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

b. Using your understanding of the area of the rectangle

formula, write a formula to find the area of a triangle.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

4 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 9

 TRAPEZOIDS TRIANGLES
Use your mathematics reference chart to record the formula for Cut out “Figure D.” Draw a diagonal from one vertex to the
the area of a trapezoid. Label the various dimensions below. opposite vertex. Cut along the line and label the triangles A and
B.

a. What do you notice about the formula for the area of a

trapezoid? How does this compare to the formula for the area of
a parallelogram and the area of the triangle?
_____________________________________________________________
1. Count the number of squares in the triangles for the
_____________________________________________________________ measurements below:
_____________________________________________________________ a. base ___________
b. height ___________
Cut out “Figure E.” Draw a horizontal line inside the trapezoid to c. approximate number of squares ___________
create two figures with equal heights of 3 units. Then, rearrange
the shape to form a parallelogram and paste it in the space below.
2. How are the base and height related to the total number of
squares?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
3. Trace the outline of triangle A in the space above, then lay
triangle B over the outline. What do you notice? How is this
connected to the formula?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 8 5
 PARALLELOGRAMS PARALLELOGRAMS
Given the shape below, draw lines to break the shape into triangles Cut out “Figure B.” Draw a vertical line from one vertex to the
and rectangles. opposite base. Cut along your line, then arrange the pieces to
form a rectangle. Paste your rectangle in the space below.

a. Use these shapes to describe a potential method for finding the

area of a parallelogram.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
b. Test out your hypothesis by cutting and pasting “Figure A” into
the pieces you described above.

1. Count the number of squares for each of the measurements

below:
a. base ___________
b. height ___________
c. approximate number of squares ___________

2. Predict the formula for the area of a parallelogram.

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

c. Describe how the area of the figure changed when the 3. Describe how the height of the parallelogram is represented.
parallelogram was decomposed. Label it on the figure above.
_____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________

6 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 7

 Name: ___________________________
RUBRIC Date: _______________ Class: ______

ABOVE MET BELOW

STANDARD STANDARD STANDARD

Model area Model area formulas Model area

MATHEMATICAL CONTENT

formulas for for parallelograms, formulas for

parallelograms, trapezoids, and parallelograms,

modeling
trapezoids, and triangles by trapezoids, and
triangles by decomposing and triangles by
decomposing and rearranging parts of decomposing and
rearranging parts these shapes rearranging parts
of these shapes with few errors of these shapes

AREA
without error with several errors

____ points ____ points ____ points

Provides Provides some Does not provide

MATHEMATICAL

thoughtful reasoning and thoughtful

THINKING

reasoning and explanation reasoning and

explanation explanation

____ points ____ points ____ points

PARTICIPATI

Participates fully Participates with Participates with

minor redirects major redirects
ON

from teacher from teacher

____ points ____ points ____ points

Shows work for Shows the work for Shows work for
SHOWS

100% of the 80% or more of the less than 80% of

WORK

questions questions the questions

____ points ____ points ____ points

Follows directions Follows directions Follows directions

DIRECTIONS
FOLLOWS

and criteria fully and criteria with and criteria with

few errors multiple errors.

____ points ____ points ____ points

BY: __________________________
Answer Key
TOTAL POINTS : ____________
12 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 1
 APPLY AREA

11

.4
.2

10

10
5.4

13

12
12
1
14.6

“to find the area of the triangle,

1 “the area of the
you can use A = (10.4) · 12 because triangle is equal to
2
10.4 is the tallest point” -Mo the area of the
trapezoid because
you get 120 with
“the area of the triangle is exactly both formulas”
half the area of the trapezoid"
-Art -Priscilla

Based on your exploration and your understanding of the

formulas, determine if you agree or disagree with the
statements above.

I ________________
disagree with Mo because _______________________
the height of the triangle
___________________________________________________________
must make a 90 degree angle with the base. The height is 10.
I ________________
agree with Art because ________________________
the area of the triangle
is 60 units2 and the area of the trapezoid is 120 units2.
___________________________________________________________
disagree
I ________________ the triangle’s area is
with Priscilla because ____________________
1
120(2), or 60 units2.
__________________________________________________________

2 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 11

 APPLY AREA RECTANGLES
15 in Cut out “Figure C” and glue it below. Label the base and height
12 in of the rectangle.

12 in
in B
20

in
20 in

20

15 in
h
18 in

“figures A and B will have the same

area because you multiply 12(20)” “you can use the
-Ryan same formula to
determine the b
area of shapes
A, B, and C”
1. Count the number of squares for each of the measurements
“figure C has the largest area" -Felicia below:
-Li
14
a. base ___________
Based on your exploration and your understanding of the 8
b. height ___________
formulas, determine if you agree or disagree with the
statements above. c. total number of squares ___________
112

2. How are the base and height related to the total number of
disagree
I ________________ _______________________
with Ryan because in figure B, you should squares?
___________________________________________________________
multiply 12(15), since 20 is not the base or the height. __________________________________________________________
Ex: When you multiply the base and the height, you will cover
I ________________
agree the area of figure C is 270
with Li because __________________________ __________________________________________________________
the entire rectangle, which gives you the total number of
units2, while figure A is 240 units2 and figure B is 180 units2.
___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
squares.
agree
I ________________ with Felicia because ______________________
both rectangles and __________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
parallelograms use the formula A=bh.
10 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 3
 TRIANGLES TRAPEZOIDS
The tables below show the areas of 3 triangles and 3 rectangles. 1. Count the number of squares for each of the measurements
below:
RECTANGLE 7
a. base 1 ___________
BASE HEIGHT AREA 3
a. base 2 ___________
A 2 4 8 b. height ___________
6
B 5 10 50 c. approximate number of squares ___________
30
C 7 8 56
2. How is the area of the trapezoid related to the area of the
parallelogram?
TRIANGLE __________________________________________________________
Ex: The area remained the same.
BASE HEIGHT AREA __________________________________________________________
A 2 4 4
3. What is another way you could break up the trapezoid or
B 5 10 25 rearrange it into shapes to find the area? Apply your ideas to
C 7 8 28 “Figure F” and paste the shapes below.

a. Using this information, describe how the area of the triangle

is related to the area of the rectangle? Ex:
__________________________________________________________
Ex: The measurements of the base and height are the same,
__________________________________________________________
but the triangle area is half the rectangle area.
__________________________________________________________

b. Using your understanding of the area of the rectangle

formula, write a formula to find the area of a triangle.
1
__________________________________________________________
Ex: A = b(h)/2 or A = 2(b)(h)
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

4 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 9

 TRAPEZOIDS TRIANGLES
Use your mathematics reference chart to record the formula for Cut out “Figure D.” Draw a diagonal from one vertex to the
the area of a trapezoid. Label the various dimensions below. opposite vertex. Cut along the line and label the triangles A and
b2 B.

b1
Triangle A

a. What do you notice about the formula for the area of a

trapezoid? How does this compare to the formula for the area of
a parallelogram and the area of the triangle?
1
Ex: It has a 2 in it like a triangle. It has two bases but they
_____________________________________________________________
1. Count the number of squares in the triangles for the
_____________________________________________________________
are added and then multiplied by the height. measurements below:
_____________________________________________________________ 14
a. base ___________
8
b. height ___________
Cut out “Figure E.” Draw a horizontal line inside the trapezoid to c. approximate number of squares ___________
56
create two figures with equal heights of 3 units. Then, rearrange
the shape to form a parallelogram and paste it in the space below.
2. How are the base and height related to the total number of
squares?
__________________________________________________________
Ex: The number of squares is half of the base times the
__________________________________________________________
height.
3. Trace the outline of triangle A in the space above, then lay
triangle B over the outline. What do you notice? How is this
connected to the formula?
Ex: The rectangle forms two triangles with the same area.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 8 5
 PARALLELOGRAMS PARALLELOGRAMS
Given the shape below, draw lines to break the shape into triangles Cut out “Figure B.” Draw a vertical line from one vertex to the
and rectangles. opposite base. Cut along your line, then arrange the pieces to
form a rectangle. Paste your rectangle in the space below.

a. Use these shapes to describe a potential method for finding the

area of a parallelogram. b
Ex: You could cut off the two triangles to make two triangles
_____________________________________________________________
and a rectangle shape.
_____________________________________________________________
b. Test out your hypothesis by cutting and pasting “Figure A” into
the pieces you described above.

1. Count the number of squares for each of the measurements

below:
11
a. base ___________
8
b. height ___________
c. approximate number of squares ___________
88

2. Predict the formula for the area of a parallelogram.

__________________________________________________________
Ex: A = b(h)
__________________________________________________________

c. Describe how the area of the figure changed when the 3. Describe how the height of the parallelogram is represented.
parallelogram was decomposed. Label it on the figure above.
Ex: The area didn’t change.
_____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________
Ex: The height makes a right angle with the base.
_____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________

6 ©Maneuvering the Middle LLC, 2018 7