Our World of Shapes

Designed by: Emily Hammett,  Meadowfield Elementary

1) CORE CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (S): Identify and describe examples of geometric figures in the world around us, and support each choice with appropriate reasoning. (1GS1-6)   PACT: IV.G.1

GRADE LEVEL:1     SUBJECT: MATH

2) OVERVIEW: The teacher will review common shapes using an overhead projector and the book Shapes by Miriam Schlein.  The teacher will use the books The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns and Circles, Triangles, and Squares by Tana Hoban as springboards to a class discussion about finding shapes in real world objects.  Children will become "Shape Detectors" to identify and describe examples of geometric figures in the classroom, outside, and in other parts of the school.  The children will share their findings of real world objects with shapes with their classmates.  As a culminating assessment, the children will look create a mobile using magazines to find pictures of real world objects with familiar shapes.  The students will present their mobiles and identify and describe their examples of geometric figures within the context of the real world objects.

3) PURPOSE/ESSENTIAL QUESTION (S): When you look at the objects around you, what shapes can you find?  How can you help me to understand the kinds of shapes you find in objects around you?

4) TIME FRAME: 3 days (Day 1 - 45 minutes - 1 hour; Day 2 - 1 hour; Day 3 - 45 minutes - 1 hour)

5) RESOURCES:

- One set of pattern block overhead projector shapes (see your CRT)

- Cut outs of other shapes not included in overhead projector shapes

- Overhead projector

- Schlein, Miriam.  Shapes.  New York: William Scott.

- Burns, Marilyn.  (1994).  The greedy triangle.  New York: Scholastic Inc.

- Hoban, Tana.  (1974).  Circles, triangles, and squares.  New York:

          MacMillan Publishing Co.

- 2 Triangular Shaped pieces of chart paper, each entitled "Our World  of Shapes," with one column labeled "Real Life Objects" on one  column labeled "The Object's Shape."

- One "Shape Detector" notebook for each group of 2 - can be made with story paper or can be a regular spiral notebook

- One large rectangular piece of poster board entitled "Our World of Shapes by (child will write name)" for each child- will serve as the body of the mobile.  It should have 4-6 punch holes running along the bottom of poster board.

- 6 construction paper square pieces (with yarn already attached through punch holes in square pieces for later attachment) for each child.

- 1 magazine for each child

- 1 pair of scissors for each child

- 1 glue stick for each child

- 1 black marker for each child

- 1 piece of construction paper for each child (for early finishers)

- 1 pack of crayons for each student (for early finishers to use)

- 1 "All Star Shape Detector" Badge for each child (make out of a triangular piece of poster board, laminate, put a punch hole through the top of the badge, and thread a piece of yarn through the hole and tie to make a necklace.

6)  ASSESSMENTS:

1 point for correctly identifying the shape found in the student's ral world  object picture  X  4  =  4

1 point for correctly describing the geometric figure (shape) in the   context of the real world picture  x  4  =  4

=  A total of 8 possible points

So that

7/8 to 8/8         =  +

6/8                   =  ?

5/8 and below  = -

7) INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Day 1- 45 minutes to 1 hour

1. The teacher will tell the students that they will be learning more about shapes and how they can find shapes all around them in their world. 

2.  The teacher will review some common shapes (circle, triangle, and square, rectangle, oval, diamond) by using pattern block overhead shapes and teacher cut outs of other shapes that are not available in overhead shape packs.

3. The teacher will place each shape on the overhead one at a time and ask children to identify and describe each shape.

4. After a thorough discussion, the teacher will transition the children to a "carpet area" and tell the children that he/she will read aloud several books about shapes and that they should pay close attention to the books because they will be completing a shapes activity after the stories.

5. Then, the teacher will read aloud the book Shapes by Miriam Schlein as a quick and fun review of the basic shapes and their characteristics.

6. After reading the book, the teacher will ask what shapes were discussed in the book.

7. Then, the teacher will read aloud the story The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns.

8. As the teacher reads the parts of the book during which the triangle changes shapes, he/she will direct the children's attention to the illustrations and ask the students to identify the new shape and the real world objects in the illustrations that contain the new shape.

9. When the teacher finishes this book, the teacher will reiterate that shapes can be found everywhere just like the Greedy Triangle, with his/her many shapes, could be found in a lot of different real life objects.

10. Finally, the teacher will tell the children that he/she will read one last shape book, Circles, Triangles, and Squares by Tana Hoban.  The teacher will explain that this book does not tell a story with words but instead tells a story with pictures.  The teacher will also point out that the children need to pay careful attention because in all of the pictures, they will be able to find either circles, triangles, rectangles, and/or squares.

11. As the teacher shows each page of the book, the teacher will call on a student to identify what shape (s) he/she sees and to point out where he/she sees the shape in the picture.  Also, the child should describe why he/she believes that part of the object is the shape the child identifies (example, "Her face is a circle because it is round like a circle."  "The picture is a square because it looks like a box just like a square."  "_______  is a triangle because it has three pointy ends (or three sides) just like a triangle," etc...).

12. After the class has discussed each page on the book, the teacher will transition the children back to their seats and will tell them that they are going to become "Shape Detectives, " like Tana Hoban, whose mission it is to find all the objects in the classroom that are made up of shapes they know.  The teacher will tell the children that they must look around the room, without getting out of their seats, identify an object in the room that has a certain shape to it or in it, identify the shape, and describe the shape in the context of the object (The clock is the shape of a circle because the outer part or the face of the clock is round). 

13. As each child gives a suggestion, the teacher will complete a chart on a piece of triangular shaped chart paper or poster board with one column labeled "Real Life Objects" and one column labeled "The Object's Shape."  The chart paper or poster board should be entitled "Our World of Shapes."

14. After a thorough discussion, the teacher will ask the children what they learned today about shapes.

15. The teacher will tell the students that all "Shape Detectors" will continue to explore their world tomorrow in order to find more shapes.

Day 2- 1 hour

1. The teacher will review the concept of geometric shapes in the world around us by asking students what they learned about shapes from the day before. 

2. Then, the teacher will review some of the shapes found in the classroom by referring to the triangular chart that was completed on Day 1.

3. The teacher will tell the "Shape Detectors" that they will be assigned a partner to work with for today's mission.  The "Shape Detectors" will be doing some work "out in the field."  They are to look for all objects that have a shape the detectors recognize and to draw the object and  and identify its shape.  Detectors will be given a special notebook on which to record their "Shape Findings."  The teacher will explain that they will be visiting three sites: the playground, the cafeteria, and the library.  At each location, the children are to locate as many objects as they can that contain familiar shapes and record this information in their notebooks.  The children should alternate turns for recording the information in the notebook.  All "Shape Detectors" will spend 5 minutes at each site.

4. After the "site" visits, each group should report one finding from each site.  Again, the teacher will record the groups' information in a chart similar to the Day 1, Step 13 chart.

5. The teacher will tell the students that in order to earn their "Shape Detector Badge" (and a grade) they must complete one final activity.  Each student will be given one magazine, a rectangular piece of poster board entitled, "Our World of Shapes by (child writes in name)," a pair of scissors, a black marker, a glue stick, and six big construction paper squares (with yarn already attached through punch hole at top of square).  The children are to look for at least four objects in the magazine with each object having a different shape.  Once a child finds a shape, he/she should cut out the picture, glue it to the construction paper square on one side and identify the name of the shape of the object or in the object on the other side of the square (teacher should show a sample to children).  The teacher should also provide a key on the board which shows a variety shapes with the shapes' names beside them.  After each child has glued all magazine pictures to the square pieces, the teacher will attach the yarn on each square piece to the rectangular piece of poster board by running the yarn through punch holes in the rectangular piece and tying the yarn in order to make a complete mobile.  The mobile will serve as a tool the children will use to help them explain what they have learned about shapes in the real world.  At this time, the teacher will also explain the rubric that will be applied during oral presentations (see Assessment).

Day 3 - 45 minutes - 1hour

1. Children should continue with activity from the day before until all children have completed.  Early finishers should draw pictures of other objects that contain shapes.

2. When all children have completed their mobiles, the teacher will explain that each child will present his/her mobile by identifying the objects in his/her magazine pictures, telling what shape the objects are or contain, and describing the shapes in the context of the objects.  Again, the teacher will explain the rubric.

3. Students will present their mobiles, and the teacher will assess the oral explanations.  After each child has presented his/her mobile, he/she will receive his/her "Shape Detector Badge" (a piece of yarn attached to a laminated, triangular shaped piece of poster board which reads "All Star Shape Detector".

4. After all presentations, the teacher will hang the mobiles up in the classroom and take pictures of mobiles to put on the school's website.