3rd Grade Area and Perimeter | Third Grade Safari Classroom Transformation

Students will embark on an African Safari in this engaging 3rd grade classroom transformation! Third graders practice finding area, perimeter, and missing side lengths in a FUN way! When they complete all area and perimeter worksheets (3.MD.5-3.MD.8), they win! This EDITABLE safari room transformation has lots of area and perimeter activities. Print and digital versions are included.

Click here to save 30% when you buy the bundle of all 10 Classroom Transformations!

Click here to save 50% when you buy the bundle of all 40 Classroom Transformations!

✨Looking for Other Grade Levels?✨

Kindergarten Safari Day

1st Grade Safari Day

2nd Grade Safari Day

3rd Grade Safari Day

4th Grade Safari Day

5th Grade Safari Day

Safari Reading Day

Safari Reading Add On Pack

PLEASE NOTE: The 3rd and 4th Grade African Safari Day are VERY similar. I would not recommend buying both. The only difference is the fourth grade version has some challenges with harder numbers.

When many people think of classroom transformations, they think:

“This would take me hours to set up.”

“This is going to cost so much money.”

“This looks so overwhelming.”

“I could never do this!”

What if I told you classroom transformations could be EASY to set up, FUN to implement, and STRESS-FREE?

⭐Let's Start with the Basics...What is a Classroom Transformation? ⭐

A room transformation changes your room into a certain setting or theme to engage students in their own learning with rigorous content.

Classroom transformations are possible in EVERY classroom. You don’t have to spend hours of your time setting up a room transformation or spend lots of money to make it SO MUCH FUN!

⭐SKILLS INCLUDED:⭐

• Finding Area
• Finding Perimeter
• Area and Perimeter Word Problems
• Find Missing Side Given Area
• Find Missing Side Given Perimeter
• Comparing Area and Perimeter
• Finding Possible Side Lengths

⭐HOW TO USE:⭐

Step 1: Tell your grade 3 class that they are safari tour guides today and will practice finding the area, perimeter, or missing sides given the area or perimeter. Students solve math challenges set up around the room. They can be completed in any order and you can choose how many challenges students complete or what time frame they have to meet YOUR needs. It aligns with 3.MD.5, 3.MD.6, 3.MD.7, and 3.MD.8.

Set-up is quick and easy. Simply print the 10 posters, the math worksheets, and a recording sheet for each student. Place them around your room and you’re ready to begin! Additional door décor, printable hats, name tags, admission tickets, a banner, and more are included if you want to use them!

Step 2: Let 3rd graders move around the room and solve each challenge. Each time students solve a math challenge, they go to the teacher to get it checked. Students can work independently, in partners, or in groups. Your choice.

Step 3: When third graders finish all ten challenges (or however many you assign), they win! You can give them the certificate of completion included and the coloring page. I also reward my students with a cool eraser at the end.

Step 4 (OPTIONAL Fast Finisher Activity): Most of the time, there are early finishers. These kiddos get to go around the room and learn fun facts about the theme of the day! No one is ever bored. Choose from 3 different fun fact versions.

• Digital Scavenger Hunt: Let students "find" the facts on Google Slides
• Printable Fact Posters: Hang fact posters around the room for students to find
• QR Codes: Students scan facts on an iPad or similar device to read fun facts

⭐ALL QUESTIONS ARE 100% EDITABLE⭐

The PRINT version of the challenges is fully customizable! There are 3 versions included.

1. Premade Version: The challenges are pre-made for you and are ready to print and go!
2. 100% Editable Version: The challenges are pre-made for you but you can edit any text on the page! Change the title, the instructions, or the questions so they work best for your classroom.
3. Blank / Create Your Own Content Version: Each challenge is blank and fully customizable. You can type anything you'd like on each page.

Please note: The digital version and clipart is not editable due to copyright laws.

⭐WHAT'S INCLUDED?⭐

• Aligns with Common Core 3.MD.5-3.MD.8
• Checklist to Keep You Organized
• 10 Challenges Pre-Made for You
• Black & White and Color Posters
• Recording Sheet
• Editable Math Challenges
• Editable Instructions for Kids
• Answer Keys Included
• Certificate of Completion
• Door Decorations and Banner
• Learning Targets and Folder Inserts
• Extra Decor Posters
• Editable Admission Tickets and Name Tags
• Coloring Page
• Printable Hats
• Digital Version Included for Use with Google Slides™
• Fast Finisher Activity with Fun Facts (3 Versions Included)
• Pictures of Set-Up & Shopping Guide for “Extras”
• Tips to Make the Room Transformation Even More Fun!

This is a perfect review activity before giving a math assessment or as an extra practice activity. Step by step lesson plans are included so you know exactly what to do. It can be used as a spiral review and is easy to set up and implement. Classroom transformation ideas are a new trend in education and can set the stage to engage!

You no longer need to spend hours prepping your classroom for your next room transformation! These hands-on, low prep activities will keep your students engaged while practicing rigorous material at the same time.

⭐FREE CLASSROOM TRANSFORMATION GUIDE: ⭐

You may also like this FREE Classroom Transformation Guide! It tells you exactly which Common Core Standards each third grade classroom transformation aligns with.

I also call these my Monday Funday math games if you've seen them on Instagram! These are easy to implement classroom transformations!

⭐A DIGITAL VERSION IS INCLUDED:⭐

With remote learning taking center stage in our communities, a digital version is now included! It's compatible with Google Slides™ and can be completed 100% digitally. That means no making copies and less prep for you!

How Does a Digital Classroom Transformation Work?

First, invite your students into a video call on whatever learning platform your school district uses. Set the scene and tell your class online what themed day they will be completing.

Then, assign your students the Google Slides™ activities that come with this digital classroom transformation. Each digital classroom transformation is interactive and has movable pieces for students to enjoy playing with. Every activity can be modified for what works best in your virtual classroom. A digital cover page, digital recording sheet, 10 digital challenges, and a digital certificate are included in the Google Slides file.

Finally, as a digital reward, students are invited to play the self-checking game that shows them fun facts about African animals you'd see on a safari. It's engaging, interactive, and a great way to motivate students throughout the digital room transformation while completing distance learning.

Let's Break Down What Comes in the Digital Version:

✔ Instructions for the Teacher

✔ Instructions How to Assign in Google Classroom Individually or in Teams

✔ 10 Google Slides Challenges

✔ Digital Answer Key for Teacher or Self-Checking

✔ Digital Self-Checking Reward Game

✔ Videos Explaining Best Practice /How To Set It Up

✔ Digital Tips and Tricks

What Do You Need to Do to Access Digitally?

-The digital version was created with Google Slides™.

-This means you will need a Google email to make a copy for your Google Drive.

-You can assign these games by assigning them in Google Classroom or send them via email to students.

Choose which version works best for your classroom -- print, digital, or a combination of both!

Looking for more 3rd Grade Math Classroom Transformations that relate to real-world mathematics? Check out the whole series here!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⭐STANDARDS ALIGNMENT:⭐

This aligns with Common Core 3.MD.5-8:

• Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures and understand concepts of area measurement.
• Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units).
• Relate area to the operations of multiplication and addition.
• Multiply side lengths to find areas of rectangles with whole-number side lengths in the context of solving real world and mathematical problems, and represent whole-number products as rectangular areas in mathematical reasoning.
• Solve real world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons, including finding the perimeter given the side lengths, finding an unknown side length, and exhibiting rectangles with the same perimeter and different areas or with the same area and different perimeters.

This aligns with 3rd Grade Texas TEKS:

• TEKS 3.6C: determine the area of rectangles with whole number side lengths in problems using multiplication related to the number of rows times the number of unit squares in each row
• TEKS 3.6D: decompose composite figures formed by rectangles into non-overlapping rectangles to determine the area of the original figure using the additive property of area
• TEKS 3.7B: determine the perimeter of a polygon or a missing length when given perimeter and remaining side lengths in problems

This aligns with Florida BEST Standards (B.E.S.T.)

• MA.3.GR.2.1 Explore area as an attribute of a two-dimensional figure by covering the figure with unit squares without gaps or overlaps. Find areas of rectangles by counting unit squares.
• MA.3.GR.2.2 Find the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths using a visual model and a multiplication formula.
• MA.3.GR.2.3 Solve mathematical and real-world problems involving the perimeter and area of rectangles with whole-number side lengths using a visual model and a formula.
• MA.2.GR.2.1 Explore perimeter as an attribute of a figure by placing unit segments along the boundary without gaps or overlaps. Find perimeters of rectangles by counting unit segments.
• MA.2.GR.2.2 Find the perimeter of a polygon with whole-number side lengths. Polygons are limited to triangles, rectangles, squares and pentagons.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⭐YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:⭐

Kindergarten Room Transformations

1st Grade Room Transformations

2nd Grade Room Transformations

3rd Grade Room Transformations

4th Grade Room Transformations

5th Grade Room Transformations

Reading Room Transformations

Reading Room Transformation Add-On Packs

Build It Games for 3rd Grade

Grab it Games for 3rd Grade

MORE AREA AND PERIMETER RESOURCES:

Finding Area

Rectilinear Area

Finding Perimeter

Area and Perimeter Word Problems

Finding Missing Sides Given Area or Perimeter

Area and Perimeter BUNDLE!

Area and Perimeter Games

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

⭐Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): ⭐

Can I edit this?

YES! This comes with 3 versions: 1 set of pre-made challenges that are no-prep for you, 1 set of my challenges that are editable in case you want to change a few pages/questions, and 1 set of blank editable challenges if you want to add your own content. This means you could use this room transformation to teach any skill you’d like using the blank editable version!

Will a classroom transformation cost me a lot of money?

NO! Classroom transformations, or themed-days, do not have to cost you a fortune to complete. In fact, you can use ONLY what’s included in this purchase and have a great day with your students! Decor, posters, the academic challenges, and more extras are included so you have more than enough to set the scene. You do not need to spend extra money! There is more than enough for you to transform your classroom without spending any additional money. There is a shopping guide included for teachers who’d like to add additional supplies but that is completely optional.

How long will this take to set up?

It depends! Are you going to use all of the decorations provided or just a few? Are you going to buy additional decorations or just what’s included? You could set this room transformation up in as little as 10 minutes with just a few included posters printed out and put on the walls. There are also teachers who like to spend a few hours decorating their rooms. There’s no wrong answer and I’ve done both! Students LOVE a change from the normal environment and that's what makes a room transformation special--not how many hours you spend setting it up.

Personally, I like to set aside about 30 minutes before the school day starts to set up my room. Whatever I get done in that time period is what my students get to enjoy. This works perfectly for me–do whatever works best for your classroom! The important thing to remember is anything different from a “normal” day is going to be SO much fun for your students and they will love it no matter how much effort you put into decorating.

How long will it take my students to complete the room transformation?

• If you are completing a math room transformation, I would estimate 1-2 hours.
• If you are completing a reading room transformation, I would estimate about 2-3 hours.
• If you are combining a math and reading room transformation together, I would allow several hours for students to complete the room transformation.

***Please note that these time frames will vary depending on: how many students you have, how quickly they work, what grade level you teach, ability levels, working in partners/groups/individually, etc.***

Can I do a room transformation in a shorter amount of time?

These room transformations are made to be flexible! If you only have 30 minutes to an hour to complete the room transformation, you’re able to use this resource! I include 10 challenges in each room transformation for students to complete. You could easily have students complete 5 (or any number you’d like) of the challenges to make it work for your time period. You can also have students work independently or in groups to make things go quicker or slower.

Can students complete less than 10 challenges?

Absolutely! Have students complete however many you think are appropriate for your classroom.

When do you recommend doing a room transformation?

The best time to complete a room transformation is at the end of a unit! When you’ve finished a skill and want to provide a fun, informal assessment of what students have learned, this is the perfect activity to pull out! I also love to do room transformations before holidays and on Friday afternoons as a reward for working hard all week.

How do you check student papers during a room transformation?

Students need to come see you to be checked after each academic challenge they complete. To help ease the number of papers you need to check, I suggest trying one of the following ideas:

• having a few answer keys available for students to check themselves
• have early finishers help you check other students’ papers
• have students work in small groups or partners (fewer papers to check and students can assist one another)
• check students after every 2 challenges instead of after every challenge
• invite volunteers in on your room transformation day to help
• put challenges together in a packet for easy checking

Have more questions?

I’m happy to answer at lindsaythelifetimelearner@gmail.com.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These classroom transformations can be used for elementary children as a worksheet alternative, printables, in math stations, math tasks, occupations tasks, life skills games, in special education settings, for homeschool, practice with vocational skills, virtual field trip alternatives, community based instruction CBI, college and career readiness, job skills, life experience, center rotations, vocation practice, math centers, as enrichment or remediation, pretend play, for students with special needs, project based learning, dramatic play, jungle themed activities, animal themed activities, PBL math, in small groups, as test prep, as worksheets, escape room alternatives, breakout room alternative, homework practice (take what you don’t finish home for homework), community helper themed days, digital theme days, end of year themed days, classroom transformation kits, printables, and so much more! The math activities are made to be flexible so you can use them however you’d like in your classroom. Challenges are aligned to Common Core and TEKS.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Information:

Follow me and be notified when new products are uploaded. New products are always 50% off for the first 24 hours they are posted.

Thank you so much,

The Lifetime Learner

Copyright information:

Purchasing this product grants permission for use by one teacher in his or her own classroom. If you intend to share with others, please purchase an additional license at a discount!

Questions?

Email me at lindsaythelifetimelearner@gmail.com