Ms.

Chelsea Decker LESSON PLAN/ASSESSMENT #2 FOR THE 7TH GRADE

Lesson Plan: Finding Area of an Isosceles Trapezoid without the Trapezoid Area Formula
Age Range of Students: 11-12 years old
Subject: Mathematics
Topic: Geometry

Draw, construct, and describe geometrical figures and describe the relationships between them.
Solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area, surface area, and volume.

Instructional Arrangement: Individual and Cooperative

Type of Lesson: Introduction
Objectives:
SWBAT/GOAL:

Identify an Isosceles Trapezoid

Label and Draw an Isosceles Trapezoid
Determine the area of an Isosceles Trapezoid without knowing the area formula.
Students will use prior knowledge and solve for the area using the area formula of a triangle and the
area formula of a rectangle.

Procedure: (30 minutes)

1. Introduce what a trapezoid is.
a. We will define what a trapezoid is.
b. I will show the students what a trapezoid looks like.
c. Different trapezoids will be shown.
d. I will hold up different shapes and ask students to tell me if it is a trapezoid.
2. Introduce what an isosceles trapezoid is
a. We will compare a trapezoid and an isosceles trapezoid.
b. I will hold up different shapes and ask what type of shape it is, students will tell me why they
are choosing one over the other.
3. Briefly go over the area formula of a triangle and the area formula of a rectangle.
a. Area for a triangle is A=1/2(base x height)
b. Area for a rectangle is A= base x height
4. Draw an isosceles trapezoid
5. Show the students on the overhead with cut outs that two right triangles and one rectangle with the same
height can form an isosceles trapezoid.
a. Construction paper will be given out, and supplies to each student.
b. Each student will be assigned to cut out a triangle or a rectangle.
c. 2/3 of the students will cut out triangles/ 1/3 will cut out rectangles.
d. I will group them in threes, and then they will work together to form an isosceles triangle.
6. Show the students they can solve for each part individually and combine them
a. Students will work with their group to make different isosceles from other groups.
7. Let the students choose the values for the isosceles trapezoid, including base 1, base 2, and the height.
a. This will show that no matter what the differences are that they are all isosceles trapezoids.

Ms. Chelsea Decker LESSON PLAN/ASSESSMENT #2 FOR THE 7TH GRADE

8. Break up the trapezoid on the board into two right triangles and a rectangle.
9. Solve for all three shapes and combine them for a total area.
Conditions:

Whiteboard and Expo Markers - Objective, Goals, and Activities

Smartboard

Solid Figures-Triangle, and rectangle

Brown Bag with Some Solid Figures
Sort Solid Figures Worksheet
Popsicle Sticks
Colored Construction Paper
Scissors
Tape
Crayons
Markers
Pencils
Homework Worksheet

Follow up:

Homework will be assigned and due the next week of class.

Homework will go over basics and there will be a critical thinking problem as well.
I will go over the homework that students had the most trouble with and evaluate where the main
problem is.
Then I will go over that section again briefly to clear everything up.

Common Core State Standards of Mathematics:

Draw construct, and describe geometrical figures and describe the relationships
between them.

Ms. Chelsea Decker LESSON PLAN/ASSESSMENT #2 FOR THE 7TH GRADE

CCSS.Math.Content.7.G.A.1
Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures, including computing actual lengths and
areas from a scale drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale.
CCSS.Math.Content.7.G.A.2
Draw (freehand, with ruler and protractor, and with technology) geometric shapes with given
conditions. Focus on constructing triangles from three measures of angles or sides, noticing when the
conditions determine a unique triangle, more than one triangle, or no triangle.

Modifications:

Students with disabilities or special education needs will be given the formulas. They will not be
responsible for drawing the figure on their own. Students will only determine the area.

Ms. Chelsea Decker

Classwork

How can we find the area of an isosceles trapezoid without knowing its area formula?
Name_____________________________

What is a trapezoid? A trapezoid is a 4-sided flat shape with straight sides that has a
pair of opposite sides parallel.
What do we remember about parallel lines? Parallel lines never intersect.
What is an isosceles trapezoid? An Isosceles trapezoid has four sides. Two sides are
parallel (base 1 and base 2) and the two sides that aren't parallel are equal in length.
Isosceles Trapezoids

Ms. Chelsea Decker LESSON PLAN/ASSESSMENT #2 FOR THE 7TH GRADE

What do all of these figures have in common?
They all each have two sides that are parallel, and two sides that are equal in length.
This makes all of these figures isosceles trapezoids.

Formulas we know

Area of a triangle =

1
2

xbxh

Formulas we dont know

Area of a trapezoid

Area of a square = w x h

Assessment:
Open Task: This assignment is all about constructed responses, tasks with different possible answers, and tasks
with different possible processes.
During this assignment I asked the students to activate prior knowledge about how to find the area of
simple shapes. Then they were instructed to identity the different shapes and as a class we discussed all the
shapes. We also discussed how the different shapes combined can make other shapes. This allowed me to see if
the students could think outside the box. This was a chance for me to see how students took notes during the
lesson, and how they worked with their students. The point of this assignment was to show the students that
they can solve a problem even if they dont have the exact formula. There are ways for them to think outside the
box, and find a way to get the work done. Each group was given out different triangles, and different
rectangles. We solved the area for 8 different isosceles trapezoids with just the help from each other. There were
different ways to find the area, different solutions, and different discussions. In the end the students combined
all of the information learned to see that it was all the same. This also allowed me to see that each student was
participating, and working together.

Ms. Chelsea Decker LESSON PLAN/ASSESSMENT #2 FOR THE 7TH GRADE

Assessment Rubric : Finding Area of Isosceles Trapezoids

Category

Student
followed
directions and
listed
formulas at
the beginning

Student used
the
appropriate
area formula
to solve for
the given

Student
followed
instructions
throughout
the entire
assignment.

Student
wrote the
correct
labels where
needed.

Student did
not rewrite
any formulas
as directed.

Student
rewrote
formulas, but
confused
them.

Student wrote
the formulas
with minor
errors.

Student
wrote the
formulas
correctly.

Student did
not express
knowledge of
using any
formula to
solve for area.

Student
wrote the
correct
formula, but
did not solve
for area

Student
wrote the
wrong
formula, but
solved
correctly for

Student used
the correct
formula and
solved for the
area correctly.

Student
followed no
instruction.

Student
followed
minimal
instruction.

Student
followed
almost all
instruction.

Student
followed
every
instruction
listed.

Student did
not use any
labels.

Student
placed
labels in the
wrong
place.

Student
placed some
labels
correctly
and some

Student
labeled all
parts
correctly.

Ms. Chelsea Decker LESSON PLAN/ASSESSMENT #2 FOR THE 7TH GRADE

Student
worked with
their group
members
together.

Student did
not work
with other
group
members.

Student sat
in their
group, but
did not
participate.

Student
worked with
their group,
but provided
false

Student
worked with
group
members
well, all work