In anticipation of the (short) Calgary gardening season, we used a Garden Plot problem in math to exploring area and perimeter. This problem also facilitated an ongoing application in mathematical expressions. In the Garden Plot problem, students were examining how relationships between area and perimeter changed in different sized gardens, concluding that the rectangular garden shape that was longest and thinnest had the greatest perimeter and smallest area, while the garden rectangle closest to a square had the smallest perimeter and greatest area. Students did excellent work with this challenging concept and some related word problems!
We will be exploring volume and capacity next.