Area & Perimeter | Parent Activity

Dear Families,

Your child is learning to measure rectangles in two ways: area (the space inside) and perimeter (the distance around). These concepts are used everywhere - from carpeting floors to building fences! The activities below make measurement real and fun.

Why This Matters for the FAST Test

The Florida FAST assessment tests whether students can find area and perimeter AND know when to use each one. Many students confuse them! Watch for word problems that ask for "fencing" (perimeter) vs. "covering" (area). Students also need to work with L-shaped figures made of rectangles.

Know the Difference!

AREA = Inside (multiply) carpet, tile, paint, cover, fill, grass, wallpaper

PERIMETER = Around (add) fence, border, frame, trim, ribbon around, walk around

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Activity 1: Room Detective

Measure real rooms at home

Pick a room or area (bedroom, bathroom, closet).
Use a tape measure or count floor tiles to find length and width.
Calculate the AREA: "If we wanted to put new carpet, we'd need ___ square feet."
Calculate the PERIMETER: "If we wanted to put trim along the floor, we'd need ___ feet."
Compare different rooms - which has bigger area? Bigger perimeter?

Tip:

Use sticky notes as "tiles" on a table to model area. Count them (like square units) and also measure around the table's edge.

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Activity 2: Design a Garden

Plan with area and perimeter

Use graph paper to design a small garden or playground.
Draw a rectangle (each square = 1 foot).
Ask: "How many square feet of soil do we need?" (Count squares = area)
Ask: "How many feet of fencing do we need?" (Count around = perimeter)
Try an L-shaped garden: split it into rectangles, find each area, add together!

Challenge:

Can you make two different rectangles with the SAME perimeter but DIFFERENT areas? (Try 2×6 and 3×5 - both have perimeter 16, but different areas!)

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Activity 3: Picture Frame Math

Real-world perimeter practice

Find picture frames around the house.
Measure the length and width of the frame opening.
Ask: "How big is the photo inside?" (Area = length × width)
Ask: "How much border is around the photo?" (Perimeter = add all sides)
If getting a new frame, calculate: "We need this much glass (area) and this much frame material (perimeter)."

Questions to Ask Your Child

"If we want to carpet the living room, do we need area or perimeter?"
"If we want to put a fence around the yard, do we need area or perimeter?"
"A rectangle is 5 inches by 3 inches. What's the area? What's the perimeter?"
"What's the difference between square inches and regular inches?"
"If I know one side of a square is 4, what's the perimeter?"

Resumen en Espanol

Area y perimetro: Su hijo esta aprendiendo dos formas de medir rectangulos. El area es el espacio adentro (se multiplica largo × ancho). El perimetro es la distancia alrededor (se suman todos los lados).

Actividades en casa:

Medir cuartos: Encuentre largo y ancho, calcule area y perimetro.
Disenar un jardin: Use papel cuadriculado para planear.
Marcos de fotos: Mida y calcule area y perimetro.

Palabras clave: Area = adentro (alfombra, baldosas). Perimetro = alrededor (cerca, marco).

Home Activity: Area & Perimeter