Dear Family,
Does your student help you with projects in the house or yard, perhaps
installing floor tiles or spreading grass seed? Many home projects involve
finding areas so that you can purchase the correct amount of materials needed 
for the project. For example, how many bags of mulch would you need to buy to 
cover your raised garden bed? How many rolls of wallpaper do you need to 
cover the walls of a room?
You and your student can discuss how to find areas for projects you might
tackle around your home. You can ask the student:

“Suppose we covered a large section of wall with chalkboard paint.
How would we find the area we wanted to paint?” Your student might
answer, “Measure how high and how far across, then multiply.” Then
ask, “If one quart of paint covers 65 square feet of wall, how many
quarts would we need to paint the blackboard section with 2 coats?”
Your student would multiply the area by 2 and compare that number
to 65. For example, a blackboard 8 feet wide and 5 feet high is 40 
square feet, and 2 coats would be 80 square feet. One can of paint 
would not be enough.

“Suppose we put new carpet in your bedroom. How many square feet
would we need to buy? How would we figure this out?” Your student
might answer, “Measure each wall of the room and multiply. If the
room isn’t a perfect rectangle, divide it into smaller pieces that are
easier to work with.”
Getting your student involved with home projects develops useful skills for
helping around the house, finding a part-time job, and eventually being
responsible for his or her own home.
Enjoy your time working together