Mathematics, Geometry

Grade 1- 3

Objective

Students classify shapes and identify them in everyday objects.

Directions

Introduce the following information about shapes to students.
How to Explore Plane Shapes
What are plane shapes? Plane shapes are geometric shapes that have flat surfaces, such as a square, rectangle, circle, triangle, hexagon, trapezoid, octagon, etc. Use the activities below to help describe, recognize, model, draw, and classify geometric plane shapes.
Classifying Plane Shapes
Look at pictures of plane geometric shapes. Recognize the characteristics of each shape. Count the number of lines/sides and angles/corners.
A circle is round.
It has no sides.
It has no corners.

• Discuss how some shapes are alike or different.
• Practice drawing and cutting out these shapes to use as manipulatives.
• Create word problems using the shapes like the example below.

A hexagon has 6 sides, and a triangle has 3 sides.
How many more sides has a hexagon than a triangle?
Create Shape Pictures

• Cut out plane shapes or use pattern blocks or tangrams. Practice fitting the sides together to form complex shapes and designs.
• Use paper shapes to design patterns.
• Examine quilts, clothing, etc. to see how the different shapes are arranged to form a design.

Geometry in the World

• Look for geometric plane shapes in your home/neighborhood, on the TV/computer, at the store/park, etc.
• Use magazines, newspapers, the Internet, etc. to find pictures with geometric shapes. Cut them out and sort them by shape.
• Use the pictures to make a "shape mosaic," a large picture made up of smaller pictures.

Distribute the activity sheets to students and have them complete the activity.

Resources

• Classifying Shapes activity sheet
• Finding Shapes in Our World activity sheet