Patio Puzzles: Area, Perimeter, and Missing Sides of Rectilinear Shapes
Shared by A STEM Educator
Students will calculate the area and perimeter of rectilinear figures, decompose composite shapes into non-overlapping rectangles, and determine unknown side lengths using properties of rectilinear figures in a landscape design context.
Lesson Overview
Students progress from calculating area and perimeter of simple rectangles to decomposing L-shaped and rectilinear figures used in community park patio designs, ultimately finding missing side lengths from given totals.
Materials
- Vertical non-permanent surfaces (whiteboards or chart paper on walls)
- Dry-erase markers (multiple colors per group)
- Erasers or paper towels
- Random grouping cards
- Printed task cards or projected task display
- Rulers (optional reference)
Scaffolded Task Progression
A) What is the area of the patio (how many ft × ft tiles are needed)?
B) What is the perimeter of the patio (how much stone edging is needed around the outside)?
[ Interactive graph / diagram — available in the full lesson ]
A) Find the area.
B) Find the perimeter.
C) The park has a budget for square feet of tiles. Is this patio within budget?
[ Interactive graph / diagram — available in the full lesson ]
Unlock the full lesson
See all 7 scaffolded tasks, the full answer key, warm-up, exit slip, and a print-ready version — free to start.
Create a free accountAlready have an account? Sign in
Like this lesson but want to tweak it?
Make an editable copy and adjust the tasks, warm-up, and answer key to fit your class — no need to start from scratch.