ChalkHour

Year 8 Maths: Area of circles lesson pack

A complete, ready-to-teach KS3 lesson on area of circles. Below is a real sample of what ChalkHour makes: the full pack adds three levels of worksheet, model answers, a teaching explainer and print-ready PDF and Word files.

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Real sample

Area of Circles

This lesson covers the calculation of the area of circles. Students will learn the relationship between the radius and the area, how to use the π button on a calculator, and how to apply this knowledge to semi-circles and algebraic rearrangement.

Learning objectives

  • Recall and use the formula for the area of a circle: A = πr².
  • Calculate the area of a circle when given either the radius or the diameter.
  • Calculate the area of compound shapes involving parts of circles (semi-circles and quarter-circles).
  • Solve 'reverse' problems to find the radius when the area is known.

Lesson plan (60 minutes)

  1. Introduction · 10 min

    Starter: Recapping parts of a circle (radius, diameter, circumference) and squaring numbers.

  2. Direct Instruction · 10 min

    Teacher-led explanation of the area formula (A = πr²) and worked example.

  3. Guided Practice · 10 min

    Guided practice: Finding area when given the radius vs. the diameter.

  4. Independent Practice · 20 min

    Independent practice: Differentiated worksheets (Support, Core, Stretch).

  5. Review and Assessment · 10 min

    Plenary: 8-question multiple-choice quiz and self-marking.

Key vocabulary

Radius
The distance from the centre of a circle to any point on its circumference.
Diameter
The distance across a circle passing through the centre (twice the radius).
Pi (π)
A mathematical constant approximately equal to 3.14159... representing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.
Area
The total space contained inside the boundary of a 2D shape.
Circumference
The perimeter or distance around the outside of a circle.

Core worksheet (first questions)

  1. Find the area of a circle with a diameter of 14 cm.
  2. Find the area of a circle with a diameter of 30 cm.
  3. Find the area of a circle with a diameter of 7 cm.
  4. Find the area of a circle with a diameter of 5 cm.

Quiz (sample)

  1. 1. What is the formula for the area of a circle?

    • A. A = 2πr
    • B. A = πd
    • C. A = πr²
    • D. A = ½bh

  2. 2. Calculate the area of a circle with a radius of 2 cm (to 1 decimal place).

    • A. 6.3 cm²
    • B. 12.6 cm²
    • C. 4.0 cm²
    • D. 25.1 cm²

  3. 3. Calculate the area of a circle with a diameter of 10 cm (to 1 decimal place).

    • A. 314.2 cm²
    • B. 157.1 cm²
    • C. 78.5 cm²
    • D. 31.4 cm²

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Support and Stretch worksheets, every answer and model answer, the teaching explainer and common misconceptions, editable and ready to print as PDF or Word.

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