Investigating Shapes In Our World

Designed by: Nancy Boggs-Walker      School: A.C. Moore Elementary

Grade Level: 1        Subject(s): Math

Core Curriculum Objective(s): 
Investigate, describe, model and draw two- and three- dimensional geometric figures (1GS1-2). 
Identify and describe examples of geometric figures in the world around us, and support each choice with appropriate reasoning (1GS1-6).

 Overview: Students will listen as the teacher reads Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews. They will discuss things in our world that are made in certain shapes (such as tires, houses, cans, etc.). Discuss characteristics of basic shapes and make shapes with geo-boards. The next day the teacher will read Shapes, Shapes, and Shapes by Tana Hoban. They will compare and contrast two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures. The teacher will give them play-dough to make three-dimensional figures. They will make a shape book using dots and other pre-cut shapes for two-dimensional figures.

Focus/Essential Question(s): How can we identify two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures? What geometric figures are in our everyday world?

Time Frame: 2 forty-five minute class periods

Resources/Materials: 
Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews 
Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban 
Story paper for student books 
Pencils/Crayons/Glue 
Construction paper to cut out shapes 
Adhesive dots (colored with black marker) 
Geo-boards (and overhead geo-board materials if available) 
Play-dough

Assessment: 
Rubric below is a guide (use student input in making rubric): 100 pts = Excellent, 75 pts = Satisfactory, 50 pts and below = Needs Improvement 

Instructional Activities 

Day One (1 45-minute class period): 
1. The teacher will read Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews. 

2. The students will identify different items in the book that were certain shapes. 

3. The teacher will ask student volunteers what are the characteristics of different shapes. For example, a triangle has how many sides? A square has how many sides? Are all sides of a rectangle the same size? Does a circle have corners? 

4. Then the teacher will explain what two dimensional objects are using a paper triangle as an example. What items in our everyday world are two-dimensional figures? Some examples are signs, writing paper, and boards. 

5. Make different shapes on an overhead geo-board. Then give the students geo-boards so they can make their own shapes as you model how to make them. 

6. Then let the students explore making their own figures. After they have made figures on the geo-boards, tell them to copy what they made in their math journal. Label what they made telling how made sides and corners it has (triangle, 3 sides, and 3 corners).

Day Two (1 45-minute class period) 
1. Review with students what they learned about two-dimensional shapes. Explain that today's book is also about shapes. It is called Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban. 

2. After reading, discuss the differences between this book and Ten Black Dots. This book uses photographs. Crew's book uses drawings. Both books show many shapes of real everyday items.

3. Explain to students what 3-D figures are. Are we three-dimensional or two-dimensional? What items around the room are three-dimensional? Use 3-D shapes if available to model to students. Items around the room could include a sphere like a globe, or a ball, a pencil can for a cylinder, a pair of dice for cubes, etc. Each student should make a list in his or her journal of everyday items that are three-dimensional. 

4. Give each group a portion of play dough. Assign groups different three-dimensional figures they are responsible for making (1-group makes cubes, 1 group makes pyramids, 1 group makes spheres, and 1 group makes cylinders). 

5. After sharing what everyone made, tell them now we will make a book about shapes. They will be given adhesive dots, and pre-cut shapes. They will also be told to trace the shapes and draw their own so they will have a variety. They may choose to draw in their shape book any shapes that fit the characteristics of that shape. They may make their book similar to Hoban's or Crew's but they shouldn't copy it. Emphasize originality and creativity. 

6. After books have been made, they can be displayed in the class library as well as entered in the Visual Literacy Festival Book Production contest.