Tired of static diagrams for teaching area and perimeter? What if your students could see how shapes fill space, and then manipulate that space to understand perimeter changes? With Apple Keynote, you can transform these fundamental math concepts into dynamic, engaging visual lessons.
Start with a single square unit. With Keynote's build animations, you can make these units appear one by one, filling a designated space. As each unit clicks into place, you can show the area growing in real time.
How to do it: Create a grid on your slide. Design a small square shape (your unit). Duplicate it and place copies on top of your grid where you want your target shape to be. Then, select these unit squares and apply a "Build In" animation ( I like "Move", but you could try "Appear" or "Wipe" if you prefer) to each, sequencing them to appear one after another. You can even add a text box that updates the "Area = X square units" as each new unit appears!
And the opportunities for extensions are my favorite (this is where Keynote truly shines for deeper understanding). Once students grasp how area is measured in square units, challenge them to explore perimeter.
Ask your students: Can two shapes have the exact same area but completely different perimeters?
Start with a simple rectangle, say 1x6 units (Area = 6, Perimeter = 14). Use Keynote's "Move" and "Magic Move" transitions to literally break apart the original shape (the 6 units) and then re-form them into a new configuration, such as a 2x3 rectangle (Area = 6, Perimeter = 10) or even an L-shape (Area = 6, Perimeter = 14 or more, depending on configuration!).
The possibilities are endless!
October 08, 2025 .
English
This is such a great way for students to see the math! They could also add their own recording explaining how to find the area and perimeter in their own words if they export it as a video instead of as a GIF!
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