Title of Book: Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter
Author: Cindy Neuschwander
Publisher/Year: Charlesbridge Publishing, 2006
ISBN- 13: 978-1-57091-681-6
Grade Levels for Recommended Use: 6-8 grade geometry and formula writing.
TEKS: 6.(4) Patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking. The student uses letters as variables in
mathematical expressions to describe how one quantity changes when a related quantity changes. The
student is expected to:
(A) use tables and symbols to represent and describe proportional and other relationships such as those
involving conversions, arithmetic sequences (with a constant rate of change), perimeter and area; and(B)
use tables of data to generate formulas representing relationships involving perimeter, area, volume of a
rectangular prism, etc.
Summary: Radius and his cousin Per find themselves in another puzzling adventure after they
play a game of Inners and Edges that once belonged to the Countess Areana. Wanting to learn
more about the game, Per finds a curious message that has the two adventurers traveling to a
mysterious island that is guarded by a sea serpent. Radius and Per have to quickly play a life size
game of Inners and Edges to unlock the mystery of the castle on the island and escape to safety.
Materials Needed: A copy of Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter, a projector for the book
like an Elmo or Smart Board, a set of 50 one inch squares per set of students, graph paper, a
pencil, and a copy of the student worksheet.
Suggested Activity:
 Have students seated in groups of 2 or 3.
 Read the entire story aloud to the students.
 Distribute worksheets, graph papers, and the sets of square tiles to the student groups, one
set per group.
 Have students take out 9 tiles from their set of tiles.
 Return to page 3 of the story and reread the dialog between Radius and Per. Have the
students recreate the tiles that they see in the scene.
 Monitor students to check if they made a square out of nine tiles and arranged them into a
3X3 array.
 Have students answer the first four questions on their worksheet. Ask students to share
their ideas for their answers. Monitor students to make sure they are completing their
worksheets.
 Have students make a sketch of their tiles on their graph paper. Have students label their
inners and edges.
 Turn to page 4 of the story. Reread the first two sentences on the page aloud to the class.
 Have students model the next set of tiles in the scene. Monitor students to make sure that
they put all nine squares in a straight row.
 Have the students answer questions 8, 9, and 10. Monitor your students to make sure they
are completing the questions.
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Reread the first paragraph of page 5 of the story aloud to the students. Have students
answer questions 11 and 12.
Reread the secret message aloud to students on page 5 of the story. Ask students to use
their tiles to determine a doorway that will fit the description of the riddle. Give students
a couple of minutes to work together create the doorway.
Turn to page 7 of the story. Reread this page to the students. Ask students why this
doorway does not match the riddle. Then have students answer question 13 and 14 on the
worksheet.
Turn to page 8 in the story. Reread this page to the students.
Have students look at their solution to the riddle from page 5. Compare their solutions to
the page in the story and adjust their solutions to match page 9 if needed.
Have students make a quick sketch of their solutions on their graph paper. Label their
Inners and Edges.
Turn to pages 30 and 31 of the story. Reread the ending of the story and answer questions
15 and 16.
Have students create 2 more shapes using their tiles. Have students graph their shapes
and label the perimeter and area of their shapes. You may want to give students that are
using a large amount of tiles a second sheet of graph paper so their shapes will fit.
Possible Extensions:
 Use a paper plate to substitute as the orange in the story and demonstrate how a circular
item can be turned into a rectangle.
 Have students play a game of Inners and Edges until the end of the class.
 Use the different arrangements of squares to talk about squares and square roots.
 Use the different arrangements of squares and rectangles to demonstrate multiples of
numbers.
 Include a data table to compare the perimeter of the shapes to the area of the shapes
Adapted by: Michelle Wells 2011
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Name:
Date:
Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter
Inners and Edges
1. What does the story mean by Inners?
2. How do you determine the Inners value?
3. What is the value of Inners in your model?
4. What does the story mean by Edges?
5. How do you determine the Edges value?
6. What is the value of Edges in your model?
7. Make a picture of your first shape on your graph paper. Label the Inners and Edges on your
picture.
8. What is your value of Inners for your second shape? Is the value different from your first
shape? If it is different, explain how it is different.
9. What is your value of Edges for your second shape? Is the value different from your first
shape? If it is different, explain how it is different.
10. Make a picture of your second shape on your graph paper. Label the Inners and Edges on
your picture.
11. How does Per determine the number of Edges for squares?
12. How does Radius determine the number of Edges for rectangles?
13. How does Per determine the number of Inners?
14. Would this method work for both rectangles and squares? Why or why not?
15. What is the Edges measurement of a flat shape really called?
16. What is the Inners measurement of a shape called?