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Lessons / Exploring perimeter and area with step counter

Exploring perimeter and area with step counter

Individual lesson

MakeCode

7-11 yrs

Students can use the BBC micro:bit to measure whole number distances, including side lengths, to calculate the perimeters and areas of rectangles.

Examples include:

  • Use student step length as an improvised unit to calculate area.
  • Break students into small groups to measure the area of a portion of the school gym, cafeteria, or playground. Combine the areas measured by each group to model that area is additive.

This activity requires the micro:bit wearable or another way of attaching the micro:bit to your ankle, such as with a rubber band.

Mathematics:

Addition

Area

Measurement

Multiplication

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Overall key learning

Learning objectives are at three different levels:

  • Mild - I can use the micro:bit step counter program to measure side lengths to calculate the perimeter and area of a rectangle.
  • Medium - I can modify my own step counter program to measure side lengths to calculate the perimeter and area of a rectangle.
  • Spicy - I can create my own step counter program to measure side lengths to calculate the perimeter and area of a rectangle.

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This content is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) licence.

CA CCSS Standards

Measurement and Data: Geometric measurement

  • 3.MD.C.6 Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units).
  • 3.MD.C.7.b Multiply side lengths to find areas of rectangles with whole-number side lengths in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems, and represent whole-number products as rectangular areas in mathematical reasoning.
  • 3.MD.C.7.d Recognize area as additive. Find areas of rectilinear figures by decomposing them into non-overlapping rectangles and adding the areas of the non-overlapping parts, applying this technique to solve real-world problems.

CA CS Standards

  • 3-5.AP.11 Create programs that use variables to store and modify data. (P5.2)
  • 3-5.AP.12 Create programs that include events, loops, and conditionals. (P5.2)
  • 3-5.CS.2 Demonstrate how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. (P4.4)
  • 3-5.CS.3 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies. (P6.2)
  • 3-5.AP.14 Create programs by incorporating smaller portions of existing programs, to develop something new or add more advanced features. (P4.2, P5.3)
  • 3-5.AP.17 Test and debug a program or algorithm to ensure it accomplishes the intended task. (P6.2)