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Primary 4 Maths: Area of Rectangles and Squares — Tutor Lesson Plan
In Primary 4 the big confusion is area against perimeter. Grid paper settles it: counting squares is area, walking the edge is perimeter.
Objectives — the student can explain area as length × breadth by counting squares, keep area (cm²) and perimeter (cm) apart, and find a missing side from an area.
01 Prerequisites (3-minute check)
If any of these fails, fix it before the lesson starts.
| Skill | Quick check | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Multiplication | 12 × 7 | 84 |
| Length units | How many centimetres in a metre? | 100 |
| Rectangle facts | How many right angles? | 4 |
02 Lesson flow (45 minutes)
| Time | Stage | Tutor does | Student does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-6 min | Grid paper | Draw a 4 by 3 rectangle on a grid | Count 12 squares |
| 6-14 min | Formula | Show 12 × 7 = 84 cm² | Two alone |
| 14-24 min | Area vs perimeter | Both for the same rectangle | Say how the answers differ |
| 24-34 min | Backwards | Area 72, length 9, find breadth | One alone |
| 34-42 min | Fix errors | Board the unit error | Name what was missing |
| 42-45 min | Exit check | Three questions marked at once | Finish alone |
03 Teaching script (read it out)
Scene 1: Counting squares is area
A 4 cm by 3 cm rectangle holds 12 squares of 1 cm².
Four in a row, three rows: 4 × 3 = 12 squares, so 12 cm².
Four in a row, three rows: 4 × 3 = 12 squares, so 12 cm².
Student counts and says “four per row, three rows”.
Scene 2: Area and perimeter are different
Perimeter is the walk around the edge, measured in cm; area fills the inside, measured in cm².
8 by 5: perimeter (8 + 5) × 2 = 26 cm; area 8 × 5 = 40 cm².
8 by 5: perimeter (8 + 5) × 2 = 26 cm; area 8 × 5 = 40 cm².
Repeat: “perimeter walks, area fills”.
Scene 3: Backwards: divide, or find the square root
Area 72, length 9, so breadth = 72 ÷ 9 = 8 cm.
A square of area 64 has side 8, because 8 × 8 = 64.
A square of area 64 has side 8, because 8 × 8 = 64.
Warn: do not divide by 4, that is perimeter.
04 Question types and worked steps
| Type | Example | Steps | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rectangle area | 12 by 7 | 12 × 7 | 84 cm² |
| Square area | side 9 | 9 × 9 | 81 cm² |
| Missing side | area 72, length 9 | 72 ÷ 9 | 8 cm |
| Perimeter for contrast | 8 by 5 | (8 + 5) × 2 | 26 cm |
Sanity check (teach this): Areas and perimeters cannot be compared directly because the units differ; writing the wrong unit is a wrong answer even with the right number.
05 Independent practice (3 questions)
| Question | Answer | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| 15 by 6 | 90 cm² | Units cm² |
| Area 64 square: side? | 8 cm | 8 × 8, not ÷ 4 |
| Perimeter of 8 by 5 | 26 cm | Not the area |
06 Common mistakes and what to say
| Mistake | Student writes | Say this |
|---|---|---|
| Perimeter answered as area | 8 by 5 gives 26 cm² | 26 is the walk; the area is 40 cm². |
| Units in cm | answers 84 cm | Area is in square centimetres. |
| Square divided by 4 | area 64 gives side 16 | That is perimeter; 8 × 8 = 64. |
| Multiplying when finding a side | area 72 and length 9 gives 81 | Finding a side means dividing. |
07 Homework (paper, section and question numbers)
- Primary 4 first-term paper — Section C, questions 1 to 5
- Primary 4 second-term paper — Section C, questions 6 to 8
08 Exit check (last 5 minutes)
| Question | Answer | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 15 by 6 | 90 cm² | All right: move to triangle area |
| Square of area 64: side? | 8 cm | One wrong: re-teach squares |
| Perimeter of 8 by 5 | 26 cm | Two wrong: repeat the grid activity |
09 Tutor FAQ
Do you teach the square root sign?
Not in Primary 4; “8 × 8 = 64” is the right phrasing.
Perimeter in the same lesson?
Yes, but ask the two questions separately so the units are stated.
What about composite shapes?
Only single rectangles and squares here.
A TutorZone lesson-prep guide. Written by the TutorZone team; questions and lesson flow are original and are not taken from any school or publisher material.
