Learning Math with Yurts Lesson – 4th-5th Grade Objective: To teach students state-tested math skills through the use of yurts. Standards: 4.5.3 Know and use formulas for finding the perimeters of rectangles and squares. (Core Standard) 4.5.4 Know and use formulas for finding the areas of rectangles and squares. (Core Standard) 5.5.2 Solve problems involving perimeters and areas of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids, using appropriate units. (Core Standard) Approximate length: 30 minutes Materials needed: Rulers Copies of worksheets Transparencies Overhead projector Glue or tape (for optional activity) Scissors (for optional activity) Copies of yurt outline (for optional activity) About the Lesson: A yurt is a portable, round, felt and wooden home used by nomads in Central Asia. Families who keep sheep or goats need to be able to move around with their flocks to find new grassy pastures. They can carry a yurt with them, much like a tent. Since the summertime can be very hot and the winter can be very cold, the yurt is made of felt, which keeps the inside cool in the summer and warm in the winter. A picture of a yurt can be seen in the supplementary materials. Teachers may wish to make a transparency of the picture to put on the overhead so that students can see what a yurt looks like. The yurt can be used to teach math skills, like measuring the circumference and diameter of a circle, measuring perimeter and area of a rectangle, measuring distances to objects, as well as other math skills. Procedures: Show students the pictures of yurts on an overhead projector. (Teachers may also wish to show students the short video showing the inside of a yurt and/or the video on how felt is made to cover the outside of a yurt.) Explain what a yurt is. Have students do the worksheet for their grade level. (Note: Worksheets may be printed in black and white.) There are suggested grade levels with each lesson, but teachers can decide which one is most appropriate for their students.
Learning Math with Yurts Lesson – 4th-5th Grade Objective: To teach students state-tested math skills through the use of yurts. Standards: 4.5.3 Know and use formulas for finding the perimeters of rectangles and squares. (Core Standard) 4.5.4 Know and use formulas for finding the areas of rectangles and squares. (Core Standard) 5.5.2 Solve problems involving perimeters and areas of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids, using appropriate units. (Core Standard) Approximate length: 30 minutes Materials needed: Rulers Copies of worksheets Transparencies Overhead projector Glue or tape (for optional activity) Scissors (for optional activity) Copies of yurt outline (for optional activity) About the Lesson: A yurt is a portable, round, felt and wooden home used by nomads in Central Asia. Families who keep sheep or goats need to be able to move around with their flocks to find new grassy pastures. They can carry a yurt with them, much like a tent. Since the summertime can be very hot and the winter can be very cold, the yurt is made of felt, which keeps the inside cool in the summer and warm in the winter. A picture of a yurt can be seen in the supplementary materials. Teachers may wish to make a transparency of the picture to put on the overhead so that students can see what a yurt looks like. The yurt can be used to teach math skills, like measuring the circumference and diameter of a circle, measuring perimeter and area of a rectangle, measuring distances to objects, as well as other math skills. Procedures: Show students the pictures of yurts on an overhead projector. (Teachers may also wish to show students the short video showing the inside of a yurt and/or the video on how felt is made to cover the outside of a yurt.) Explain what a yurt is. Have students do the worksheet for their grade level. (Note: Worksheets may be printed in black and white.) There are suggested grade levels with each lesson, but teachers can decide which one is most appropriate for their students.