Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 45 minutes
Find a missing base or height from a triangle's area
Geometry
CCSS 6.G.A.1CCSS 6.EE.B.7England: KS3 Geometry and measures
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Find a missing base or height from a triangle's area.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Area of triangles
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Rulers and protractors, Squared or dotted paper, Shape cut-outs, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Area of triangles). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- A triangle has area 78 cm² and base 13 cm. What is its height, in cm? → 12Prompt: Area = ½ × base × height.
- A triangle has area 54 m² and base 9 m. What is its height, in m? → 12Prompt: Area = ½ × base × height.
- A triangle has area 42 ft² and base 12 ft. What is its height, in ft? → 7Prompt: Area = ½ × base × height.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a photo of a building, a tile pattern or a road sign and ask what shapes and angles students can spot.
- Share the objective: Find a missing base or height from a triangle's area. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Model one question from the student sheet, thinking aloud.
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
Watch out for
- Thinking a square turned on its corner is no longer a square.
- Reading the wrong scale on a protractor.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Area of triangles.
- Use concrete materials: rulers and protractors.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-6.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder