Using your Tile Floor to Teach Area

Here's an easy way to demonstrate AREA.  Lots of homes and classrooms have tile floors. If you do, you might want to use your floor and some painters tape to teach area.

Area = 2 square units

I like painters tape because it comes up easily after the lesson is over.

Area = 1 square unit

Start by marking off some squares and rectangles with your painters tape. Have students calculate the area. Younger students can count the floor tiles (square units). Older students can use the formula ( Length x Width = Area). Then reverse, name an area (such as 4 square units) and allow the students to mark off the area with tape.

Area = 4 square units

Area = 6 square units

As a follow-up students could copy and label sketches of the tiles in their math journals.



Have fun with math!