Quadrilaterals in 7th Grade Math

An Overview of 7th Grade Quadrilaterals

Within the geometry portion of 7th grade math, your child will learn to solve problems involving the area, volume and surface area of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional objects, which include quadrilaterals, polygons and prisms. Quadrilaterals are 2-dimensional geometric shapes that have four straight sides. The figure must also be closed to be considered a quadrilateral. Some of the quadrilaterals that your 7th grader will be learning about are rectangles, parallelograms, rhombuses, trapezoids and squares.

Yarn Quadrilaterals

Before beginning this activity, cut pieces of yarn in varying lengths. Ask your child to select four pieces of yarn and lay them together to create a quadrilateral of his or her choosing. Then, ask your child to identify the type of quadrilateral he or she has created. Have your child use a ruler to determine the area of the created quadrilateral. Challenge your 7th grader to use the various pieces of yarn to create different quadrilaterals and to determine the area of each figure.

Bend It!

For this activity, you will need a collection of different-sized boxes. Cut the bottom out of each box so that it will bend at the corners. Ask your child to manipulate each box to create a quadrilateral. As your child bends the box, have him or her identify the type of quadrilateral being created. As an extension of this activity, help your child trace the box and have him or her calculate the area of the geometric shape.

Quadrilateral Cheat Sheet

Encourage your child to review by creating a large cheat sheet. On a piece of poster board, ask your child to write a list of quadrilaterals at the top. Then, have your child draw a picture of each shape. Be sure your child includes a square, rhombus, trapezoid, rectangle and a parallelogram. You may also ask your child to write the area formulas for each shape.

Match that Formula!

Each quadrilateral has its own formula for area and perimeter. Although your 7th grader may not have to memorize each formula, it's important that he or she knows which formula belongs with which shape.

On index cards, draw a variety of quadrilaterals. On another set of index cards, write the area formulas for each shape. For instance, the area of a rhombus can be calculated using this formula: A = hs, where 'h' is height and 's' stands for the length of one side. Then, ask your child to match the shape to its correct formula. You can also turn this review session into a game by taking turns and assigning points to each card.