Build Deep Understanding of Area, Perimeter & Multiplication

The Problem with Traditional Geometry Instruction

Area and perimeter seem simple on the surface. Length times width. Add up all the sides. But research shows that students who learn these concepts through formulas alone develop deep misconceptions that follow them into middle school, high school, and beyond.

Here's what typically happens: Students memorize "A = l × w" and can plug in numbers. They pass the test. But ask them to actually tile a floor, design a garden, or explain why the formula works, and they're lost. They've learned procedures without understanding.

The consequences show up years later when these same students struggle with fractions, algebraic reasoning, and spatial thinking. They never built the foundation - they just memorized the shortcuts.

What if there was a better way?

Welcome to PRISM Pet Supply: Where Math Becomes Real

In PRISM Pet Supply, students don't just learn about area and perimeter - they use these concepts to design and build an actual pet store. They're not doing worksheets. They're solving real problems that matter.

Students become product designers for PRISM, an innovative pet supply company opening a new superstore. Over 10 engaging sessions, they make critical decisions: Where should the store be located? How big should the parking lot be? What should the signs look like? How do we display products efficiently?

Every decision requires mathematical thinking. Every solution builds deep understanding.

Students design floor plans for the new PRISM superstore, discovering area through purposeful work

One Complete Project. Ten Engaging Sessions.

PRISM Pet Supply isn't a collection of disconnected lessons. It's one immersive project where each session builds on the last, creating a coherent mathematical journey from start to finish.

Students don't just learn area - they discover why area matters when designing play zones for pets. They don't just calculate perimeter - they figure out how much fencing they need for the parking lot. Every concept has a purpose. Every calculation has a consequence.

Session 1: Make a Blueprint

Students create unit-square name cards and design a floor plan for the new PRISM superstore. They discover that counting squares is the foundation of area - not just a formula, but an actual understanding of what area means.

Counting unit squares builds genuine understanding of what area means

Session 2: Choose a Location

Where should PRISM build its new store? Students measure distances to various landmarks, collect data, and create bar graphs to analyze their findings. They vote on the best location based on evidence - learning that math helps us make better decisions.

Real measurement, real data, real decisions

Session 3: Pet Play Zones

The new store needs play areas for pets! Students use squares to figure out how many units need to be covered and calculate costs. They discover the connection between counting squares and multiplication - seeing why the area formula actually works.

Session 4: Design a Parking Lot

PRISM needs parking for customers! Students design parking lots with specific requirements, discovering the fascinating relationship between perimeter and area. Same perimeter, different areas. Same area, different perimeters. This exploration builds mathematical intuition that lasts.

Discovering the relationship between perimeter and area through design challenges

Session 5: Order Pet Food

Students measure shelving and figure out how many boxes of each kind of pet food PRISM needs to order. They connect area with tiling to area with multiplication, building fluency with both approaches.

Session 6: Table Displays

Students build table displays using craft sticks and small cubes, exploring arrays and multiplication in a concrete, hands-on way. They see how rows and columns create structure - the foundation for understanding multiplication facts.

Building arrays with physical materials develops multiplication understanding

Session 7: Fish Castles

Team members design a new PRISM product: fish castles for aquariums! With a budget of $10, students decide which materials to use and how to construct their design. They practice addition, subtraction, and multiplication in a creative context that feels like play.

Designing fish castles on a budget - creativity meets mathematical thinking

Every design decision involves mathematical reasoning

Session 8: Signs

PRISM departments each need colorful signs. Students design promotional displays with constraints on both area and perimeter, applying everything they've learned about these concepts in a creative challenge.

Design challenges with mathematical constraints build deep understanding

Session 9: The Commercial

Teams write and present a short television commercial to promote their department's featured pet food. This session integrates communication skills with mathematical content, helping students articulate their understanding.

Session 10: Grand Opening

It's time to open the store... but the dogs have gone missing! Students use their mathematical skills to decode puzzle clues and find the dogs. This capstone session reviews perimeter, area, and arrays in an exciting problem-solving adventure.

What's Included: Everything You Need for 15-20 Hours of Engaging Math

PRISM Pet Supply isn't just a lesson plan. It's a complete, ready-to-teach curriculum with all the materials you need for hands-on mathematical exploration.

Tic Tac Tables builds multiplication fluency through strategic gameplay

Who Is PRISM Pet Supply For?

PRISM Pet Supply serves three distinct needs:

Why $149 Is An Investment, Not An Expense

Let's talk about what effective math instruction actually costs:

Here's what makes PRISM different: You're not buying more practice problems. You're investing in a completely different approach - one where students discover mathematical concepts through meaningful work that they'll remember.

Standards-Aligned and Research-Backed

PRISM Pet Supply isn't enrichment or an activity that's only about fun. It covers essential grade-level standards through engaging, memorable experiences.

Common Core Standards Covered:

• 3.MD.5: Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures
• 3.MD.7: Relate area to multiplication and addition
• 3.MD.8: Solve problems involving perimeters of polygons
• 3.OA.1: Interpret products of whole numbers
• 3.OA.3: Use multiplication to solve word problems
• 3.OA.7: Fluently multiply within 100
• 3.NBT.2: Fluently add and subtract within 1000
• 2.MD.A.1: Measure the length of an object

Texas TEKS Standards Covered:

• 2.9F, 3.6C: Determine the area of rectangles with whole number side lengths
• 3.6B: Determine the perimeter of a polygon
• 3.6D: Decompose composite figures into non-overlapping rectangles
• 3.4D: Determine products using arrays
• 3.4G: Use strategies and algorithms to multiply

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does PRISM Pet Supply take to complete?

Plan for 15-20 hours of instruction across 10 sessions. Most classrooms complete it in 3-4 weeks meeting 2-3 times per week. Homeschool families often complete it in 2-3 weeks with more flexible scheduling.

What grade levels is this for?

PRISM Pet Supply is designed for grades 3-5. Third graders exploring area and perimeter for the first time will find it appropriately challenging. Fourth and fifth graders who need to build stronger foundations will benefit from the hands-on approach.

Can I use this if I'm not a math teacher?

Absolutely. The embedded teacher guides walk you through every step. You don't need specialized training - just follow the slides, facilitate the activities, and ask the questions provided. Many homeschool parents successfully use PRISM.

How many students can use one kit?

Each kit supports up to 4 students working together as a team. For larger groups, you'll need additional kits.

What if my students already know area and perimeter formulas?

Knowing formulas isn't the same as understanding concepts. Many students who can recite "length times width" cannot explain why it works or apply it flexibly. PRISM builds the deep understanding that makes formulas meaningful.

Can I see a sample lesson before buying?

Yes! Lessons 1-3 are available FREE with a Teacher & Family Account. You'll see the instructional slides, activities, and progression before committing to the full kit.

What if my district wants to purchase multiple kits?

Contact us for volume pricing. We offer discounts for school and district purchases.

The Choice Is Clear

You can continue with worksheets, formulas, and students who memorize without understanding.

Or you can give students what research shows they actually need: hands-on exploration, meaningful projects, and mathematical concepts that connect to the real world.

PRISM Pet Supply transforms abstract concepts into concrete experiences. It's not a quick activity or a fun diversion. It's 15-20 hours of serious mathematics taught through serious engagement.

What You Get for $149:

• 15-20 hours of hands-on instruction
• 10 complete lesson plans (200+ instructional slides)
• Unit square tiles and grid materials
• Construction materials for fish castles
• Craft sticks and cubes for array building
• Measuring tools
• Tic Tac Tables game boards
• Teaching videos
• Printable student resources
• Embedded teacher guides in slide sequence
• Research-based pedagogy built in
• Standards-aligned curriculum

Don't Let Another Student Struggle with Geometry

Area and perimeter might seem like simple topics. But the understanding students build (or don't build) here determines their success with fractions, algebraic reasoning, and all future geometry.

PRISM Pet Supply gives students what they actually need: time with physical materials, meaningful projects, collaborative problem-solving, and carefully guided discovery.

This is how mathematical understanding should be built. This is how students learn for real.

Want to know more?
Contact us!