Teach Area of Complex or Composite Shapes figures, middle school math lesson and activities
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How to teach the area of composite/complex figures in an EPIC way!

Struggling to teach the area of composite figures in a way your students actually get?

Ever wondered that every time you feel like thinking about how to get started or how even to think about introducing the topic to your kids, frustration kicks in!

Believe it or not, we all have been there during our first few years of teaching.

And you’re not alone… If your kids are zoning out the second you say “area” keep reading, this post breaks it down with easy, engaging ideas that make sense (and work for all levels).

Teach kids how to find Area of Complex or Composite Shapes  figures | middle school math lessons and activities

Explore the Area of complex figures in an exciting way

Let’s be real right now teaching math isn’t what it used to be. Today’s kids are growing up with TikTok-level attention spans and infinite entertainment options at their fingertips.

That means if your area of complex shapes lessons are not engaging and exciting enough, you’ve already lost half the battle.

Here’s the good news, you don’t need flashy tech or hours of prep work just to make the area of composite figures click for your students. You just need the right strategy.

So how do you teach this topic in a way that’s fun, clear, and actually sticks?

find Area of Complex or Composite Shapes lesson math middle school

The answer: make it visual, hands-on, and connected to real life, yup, that’s right this way your students aren’t just memorizing formulas, they’re solving problems like mini math detectives on a mission hunt.

Now the question is where do you begin?

Start with the Basics:

Like I said, it all starts with basics.

And to be honest, there is no other answer to this problem other than nailing the basics!

Here is the hard truth… if kids find the lesson interesting, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to learn about the problem, think about it, practice it, and ultimately feel a sense of confidence in their skills.

This is why using gamified methods of teaching math inside your classroom can be a handy tool for teaching any concept!

Teach kids how to find Area of Complex or Composite Shapes  figures | middle school math lessons and activities

Seeing Math Everywhere:

Here are the steps to help kids see math everywhere in their life.

Step 1: Help Students See Math Everywhere (Real-Life Hook)

One of the most effective ways to introduce composite figures is by showing students where these shapes exist in their world.

What it means is to check for there: Activate prior knowledge. Ask your students:

  • What basic shapes do you already know?
  • Can you think of any objects that are made up of more than one shape?

Then guide them to see that a playground, a building (maybe school) floor plan, or even a weird-shaped pizza is made of multiple simple shapes.

🟩 + 🟥 + 🟦 = Composite figure.

Your goal here is to help them realize that composite shapes are just familiar shapes combined, nothing fancy.

Teach kids how to find Area of Complex or Composite Shapes  figures | middle school math lessons and activities

Step 2: Revisit the Basics with Hands-On Practice

Before diving into composite figures, make sure your students are rock solid on calculating the area of:

  • Squares
  • Rectangles
  • Triangles

Here is a Pro Tip: Use graph paper and have them COUNT squares to confirm what the formulas actually do. This helps your visual and tactile learners “see” the math in action.

Step 3: Decompose a Composite Figure (using engaging activities)

Once the basics are solid, it’s time for the real fun, breaking down a complex shape into smaller, manageable parts.

Here is an activity you can try in your class:

  1. Show them a real-life layout — like a house blueprint or the shape of a playground.
  2. Ask them to identify the basic shapes they see.
  3. Have them outline or color-code each individual shape inside the figure.
  4. Guide them through finding the area of each part — and then adding it all together.

Want a fun way to reinforce this practice? Try out this this area and perimeter Color by Number activity!

Finding the Area of Composite Figures or Complex Figures (Color by Number)

Since kids have already mastered how to calculate the area of regular shapes, it’s time to introduce them to composite figures.

You can use any composite shape, like a park or a house layout, and ask what they see.

Tell them to imagine the shape as a whole building made by several small ones and treat every small shape like a rectangle, square, or triangle as a room inside the building.

Let them think about this concept for a while, and then decompose the shape into its parts and find the area of the individual basic shape.

Finding Area of Complex Figures Piece by Piece

Next, it’s time to decompose composite figures like literally breaking the big shape into smaller, familiar parts.

For better understanding, it’s good to introduce a composite figure with 2 or 3 squares or rectangles and then move on to the more complex figures.

The next step is to ask your kids how many squares or rectangles they see inside their big figures.

Have them trace or outline each individual shape in a different color and then calculate the area of each smaller part one shape at a time.

Pro Tip: Write the area inside each shape as they go to help them see their progress. Next step is to calculate the areas of these individual shapes.

Since your students by now already know how to calculate the area of regular figures, it would not be a daunting task. Lastly, ask them to add all of them together to get the total area.

Want some resources to practice the area of squares, rectangles, and triangles in an exciting way? Check out this area and perimeter Color by Number activity below.

Area of complex figures review practice and perimeter of regular and composite figure, area and perimeter of regular shapes

Finding the Area of Complex Figures (Trending and Most Popular)

Now comes the fun part: tell your kids that we are calculating the area of the whole building, not just the single rooms inside.

They also know how to calculate it by adding the areas of each smaller shape. Basically, by summing up, kids will be able to tell what the area of the complex figure is. 

Want some fun digital and printable activities to help you with this lesson?

Check out this exciting whole class activity: Digital game for area of composite figure that also includes printaba le worksheet for student accountability.

Area of composite figure digital game and activity for 6th grade

Want to access free math resources worth $29. Click here to learn more!

Click here to learn more about 5th Grade math activities that keep your students excited while learning math year long.

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Halloween math activities for 3rd 4th and 5th grade kids
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Fun and Engaging Digital Halloween Math Activities for 3rd 4th and 5th Grade

Looking for some Fun and engaging Halloween math activities to keep your kids busy? Try out these “PICK A WITCH” Digital Game activities with your class and see their excitement skyrocket.

This resource is an interactive digital game which you can use to review or assess your kids place value understanding during their centers time or as a whole class activity.

Halloween math activities for 3rd 4th and 5th grade kids

Here is how the Game Works:

“PICK A WITCH” Game activity is designed to help your kids practice and review the place value of larger numbers like 6 digits in a fun and engaging way.

The resource is a compressed file that unzips to a PowerPoint Activity. The Game activity has 12 question slides and 1 main i.e. “PICK A WITCH” slide.

Display the main slide on the projector and divide your kids into 2 teams. Now tell them to pick a number. The number that they pick you have to click on it to display the question. Once the kids see the question he or she has to answer the question.

Halloween math activities for 3rd 4th and 5th grade kids

You can also award 5 score points to every right answer. Once all the questions have been answered by kids. You can add all their scores and announce which team has won.

All the numbers from 1 to 12 on the first slide are clickable and linked to that specific question number slide. There is a Home button on every question slide to access the main Questions slide which makes it an interactive and super fun game that kids enjoy.

The 12 questions allow you to complete the activity in one go with your class. But it only uses 6 digit numbers. You can use it for fast finishers or as centers digital activity.

Halloween math activities for 3rd 4th and 5th grade kids

Oh and just in case if you are looking for a fun and engaging activity to to teach decimals this week, check out Free adding and subtracting decimals activities 5th grade.

Want more join in for some Insider Fun!


Enagging Fall addition subtraction multiplication division math powerpoint game activities for 3rd 4th and 5th grade kids
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Boost Math Engagement with Fun Fall Themed Interactive Games

Have you ever found yourself scanning through the room during math class, looking at a mix of bored faces, frustrated sighs, and the occasional doodler?

I know I have, and we’ve all been there. But the real challenge is making math both fun and educational for kids at the same time.

This might seem challenging during some teaching days, but what if I told you there’s a way to sprinkle a bit of autumn magic into your math lessons and get those hands eagerly shooting up with answers?

And yes, that’s possible! The best way to make kids fully involved and ready to solve some problems no matter how hard they are is by using interactive games. 🍂✨

Enagging Fall addition subtraction multiplication division math powerpoint game activities for 3rd 4th and 5th grade kids

Use these interactive Fall-themed games in your classroom for small groups during centers or as a whole class activity and see the class engagement soar.

Here’s Why This Bundle is a Game-Changer:

  • Engagement Overload: With a delightful “Pick a Fall Cookie” Game, learning basic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division isn’t just another math lesson. It’s an experience. One where students eagerly click through questions, challenging themselves and having a blast while at it.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: This bundle isn’t just about practicing a single concept like division. Oh no! Your students will dive deep into 3 digit addition and subtraction with regrouping, tackle 3 by 1 and 2 digit division, and master 2 by 2 digit multiplication. It’s a math smorgasbord!
  • Perfectly Structured: Each game comes with 12 questions, allowing for a full, immersive session without dragging it out. Plus, navigation is a breeze with interactive features like clickable numbers and a handy home button.
  • Versatility: Whether you’re looking to jazz up your math centers, provide engaging activities for early finishers, or differentiate your instruction, this bundle has got you covered.

What you get:

Once you get this fall interactive games bundle, you’ll find a series of PowerPoint games designed to keep kids engaged in learning addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, along with 6 digit number place value practice. The goal? To make math engaging, interactive, and the highlight of your students’ day.

The main slides have interactive numbers with fun and exciting fall images that students can click on and go to that specific slide to solve. 

Enagging Fall addition subtraction multiplication division math powerpoint game activities for 3rd 4th and 5th grade kids

Conclusion:

So, if you’re ready to transform those groans into grins and make math the highlight of your kid’s day, try these fall addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and place value bundle and see your kid’s engagement and confidence soar.🍁📖🍪

Try these math fraction activities if you want more fun and excitement in your classroom.

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