Foundations of Mathematical Thinking · Senior Infants

Active learning ideas

Covering Surfaces

Children in Senior Infants learn best when they can see and touch the math they are doing. Covering surfaces with square tiles lets them feel the space inside shapes while solving a real problem. This hands-on work builds a clear picture of area that will stay with them long after the lesson ends.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Junior Cycle - Measurement - M.2

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Tiling Stations

Prepare four stations with rectangles of varying sizes, square tiles, and recording sheets. Small groups rotate every 10 minutes, cover each shape completely, count tiles, and note findings. End with a class share-out comparing results.

How many tiles does it take to cover this book?

Facilitation Tip

At the Tiling Stations, model how to slide each tile snugly against the previous one so no gaps appear between them.

What to look for

Give each student a small rectangular piece of paper and a set of 1-inch square tiles. Ask them to tile the paper completely and then write the number of tiles used on the back of the paper. Collect and check for accurate tiling and counting.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Object Tiling Challenge

Pairs select classroom items like books or desks, cover surfaces with paper squares, and count tiles used. They compare two objects and predict which needs more tiles before tiling. Record counts on shared charts.

Which surface is bigger , the table or the chair seat?

Facilitation Tip

In the Object Tiling Challenge, ask pairs to explain their count to each other before sharing with the class to build verbal precision.

What to look for

Show students two different-sized rectangular surfaces, like a book and a placemat. Ask: 'Which surface do you think has a bigger area? How can we find out for sure? What would we need to use to measure and compare them?' Listen for students suggesting tiling and counting.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Floor Shape Mosaic

Draw large rectangles on the floor with tape. Class works together to fill with tiles, counting aloud as they go. Discuss why some shapes take more tiles and erase to retry.

Can you cover this shape using only square tiles?

Facilitation Tip

For the Floor Shape Mosaic, assign each student a colored tile and guide them to place it in the correct square to avoid crowding.

What to look for

Provide students with a worksheet showing a large rectangle divided into a grid of squares. Ask them to count the total number of squares inside the rectangle. Observe students' counting strategies and accuracy.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: Personal Tile Mat

Each child draws a rectangle on paper, tiles it with squares, counts, and labels the area. They swap with a partner to verify coverage and count.

How many tiles does it take to cover this book?

Facilitation Tip

During the Personal Tile Mat, remind students to trace the outline of their mat first so they know exactly where to place tiles inside.

What to look for

Give each student a small rectangular piece of paper and a set of 1-inch square tiles. Ask them to tile the paper completely and then write the number of tiles used on the back of the paper. Collect and check for accurate tiling and counting.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with everyday objects so children see the purpose of tiling right away. Teach them to press tiles firmly against edges and corners to avoid gaps, then model counting in rows and columns to prevent double-counting. Avoid using the word ‘cover’ without pointing to the inside space; always trace the edge with your finger first so they feel the boundary of the area.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently cover flat surfaces with square tiles without gaps or overlaps and count the total correctly. They will compare two surfaces by counting tiles and explain which one has the larger area using clear language about the space covered.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Tiling Stations, watch for children tracing the outside edge of a shape and counting that line as the area.

  Have them trace the edge once to mark the border, then place tiles only inside the traced line and count the tiles, not the border.

• During the Object Tiling Challenge, watch for students choosing the longer object as the larger area without checking both dimensions.

  Ask them to tile both objects fully and compare the tile counts side by side to see that width matters just as much as length.

• During the Floor Shape Mosaic, watch for tiles that do not touch edge to edge, leaving small empty spaces.

  Remind students to slide tiles until they click together, then count again to confirm the whole surface is filled before declaring the total.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Experiential Learning