Do your students struggle to find the area of composite figures? In this 3rd grade rectilinear area unit, students practice finding the area of rectilinear figures with worksheets, activities, games, and interactive notebook pages!
$7.00
Help your students confidently find the area of composite figures with this 3rd Grade Rectilinear Area Unit!
Students will learn how to break apart complex figures into smaller rectangles and use multiplication or addition to find total area. With rectilinear area worksheets, activities, and games, this unit gives students hands-on experience that makes composite figures simple to solve.
This resource aligns with 3.MD.7 and includes over 150 pages of differentiated practice designed for 3rd grade but also works perfectly for 4th grade review.
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This rectilinear area worksheets resource provides everything you need to teach area of composite figures step-by-step:
Rectilinear Area Mini-Lesson:
Students learn how to decompose composite shapes into rectangles using the distributive property. This simple, cut-and-glue interactive notebook entry provides a clear reference for students to revisit as they practice.
10 Rectilinear Area Worksheets:
The worksheets build gradually in difficulty, helping students move from finding the area of regular rectangles to more complex rectilinear figures. Practice includes:
Using distributive property to break rectangles into smaller parts
Finding total area by adding the smaller areas
Applying multiplication to solve for area efficiently
Comparing areas of different figures
Finding missing dimensions based on total area
Differentiated worksheets ensure all learners are supported — from introductory examples to advanced composite shapes.
4 Rectilinear Area Error Analysis Pages:
Students review sample work to determine which solutions are correct and which are not. These pages build conceptual understanding and critical thinking — perfect for class discussions or math talk.
Create Your Own Amusement Park Activity:
Students design their own amusement park using what they’ve learned about rectilinear area. Each attraction represents a different composite figure, and students must calculate its total area. Three differentiated versions make this activity flexible for your class.
Build a Dino Park Game:
Students solve rectilinear area problems to earn dino pieces for their park. Each correct answer earns a new addition, and the first player to fill their dino park wins! Chance cards keep gameplay fun and unpredictable.
Whole-Class Game – “Bucket Filler!”
Hang task cards around the classroom for an interactive learning experience. Students solve rectilinear area problems as they move around, and correct answers earn them entries into a class drawing for small prizes.
Amusement Park Game:
Students find the area of each composite figure in an amusement park scene, then match the correct signs showing the total area. This partner or individual game is a student favorite and reinforces area concepts through visual learning.
21 Area and Perimeter Posters:
Bright, easy-to-read visuals help students remember formulas and vocabulary for area and perimeter. These posters make a great addition to your math word wall or learning center.
All activities and games come in color and black-and-white versions for easy printing and prep.
This 3rd grade rectilinear area unit is ideal for use throughout your area and perimeter instruction. It can be used for:
Whole-group teaching and guided practice
Math centers or independent work
Small-group intervention
Partner games and review stations
Homework or extra credit assignments
4th-grade area review
Each worksheet and game is designed to make the distributive property and area of composite figures approachable, engaging, and easy to understand.
This rectilinear area worksheets resource aligns with multiple state and national math standards:
Common Core:
3.MD.5–3.MD.8 – Recognize area as an attribute, measure area by counting unit squares, relate area to multiplication and addition, and solve real-world area and perimeter problems.
Texas TEKS:
3.6D – Decompose composite figures formed by rectangles into non-overlapping rectangles to determine total area using the additive property of area.
4.5D – Solve problems related to perimeter and area of rectangles with whole-number dimensions.
Florida B.E.S.T.:
MA.3.GR.2.4 – Solve mathematical and real-world problems involving perimeter and area of composite figures composed of non-overlapping rectangles.
Teachers love this unit because it breaks down a challenging concept — area of composite figures — into clear, scaffolded steps. The rectilinear area worksheets gradually increase in complexity, allowing students to build confidence at every stage.
Students love creative activities like Build a Dino Park and Create Your Own Amusement Park, which make practicing math feel like play. Teachers appreciate the ready-to-use structure, colorful visuals, and easy differentiation built into every page.
Everything in this unit is low-prep, highly engaging, and standards-aligned, making it a perfect addition to your geometry and measurement instruction.
This 3rd Grade Math Unit is part of a year-long series that makes math hands-on and meaningful. Each unit includes lessons, worksheets, and games that simplify tough topics — like area, perimeter, and geometry — while keeping students excited to learn.
• See All 3rd Grade Math Units
• 3rd Grade Math Classroom Transformations (Themed Learning Days Perfect for Review!)
• 3rd Grade Hands-On Math and Reading Activities
• 3rd Grade Math Mysteries
• 3rd Grade Math Task Cards
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Planning to use this resource with more than one teacher or classroom?
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