Math 9 area and perimeter challenge project

I did a little differentiated assessment recently in my Math 9 class, creating three different unit assignments to assign to different groups of students in my classroom, based on results from a unit diagnostic test. My challenge project was for a group of four in each period, to estimate the perimeter and area of the school building.

Here are the project details: Challenge Project. To the right is a rough sketch that one of the groups used (not their final report).

In retrospect, I could have given this project with some success to the whole group — though I imagine that it would have invited a lot of copying and a host of fairly far-off estimates. The students’ minds immediately went to using Google Maps to create a scale photo of the school, so part of the challenge I wanted (to be creative in ways to measure the building) turned out not to be so challenging.

To check the assignments, I cheated and used a Google-maps based area and perimeter calculation tool. Turns out my groups were almost bang on!