Learning about shapes is fun with

Learn Every Day About Shapes! Contributed by teachers, these activities are organized by curriculum area and offer fresh ideas that provide hours of engaging activities. Teachers will find everything they need to teach children ages 3 to 6 all about shapes. All the activities in the Learn Every Day Series were created by teachers.  Each activity features learning objectives, related vocabulary, related children’s books, list of materials needed, directions for preparations, instructions, and an assessment component. 

Take a sneak peak at two activities from Learn Every Day About Shapes:  

One-Shape Pictures

Learning Objectives

The children will:

 

  1. Put ideas they have into practice.
  2. Understand and follow directions and answer questions.

Materials

  • Lots of construction paper in different colors
  • Scissors (adult only)
  • White paper
  • Glue sticks

Vocabulary

Circle                          heptagon                    pentagon                    spiral

Create                        imagination                rectangle                    square           

Gallery                        octagon                      semi-circle                 triangle

 

What To Do

  1. Engage the children in a discussion to decide on the single shape they will use in this art project. Use a basic shape like a triangle, square, rectangle, or circle.
  2. Cut several shapes in different sizes from a variety of paper.
  3. Encourage the children to think of creative ways they can make pictures using colorful shapes. For example, if the children are using circles, they could put them together to make a colorful flower garden, a snowman family, and so on. Also, consider doing “modern” shape art: experiment with putting several different-sized shapes next to each other or on top of each other.
  4. Have “gallery time,” and give each child a chance to talk about his artwork.

Assessment

To assess the children’s learning, consider the following:

  • Include shape artwork in portfolio documentation. Include the children’s input (for example, record what the children say about their artwork at gallery time).
  • Ask the children questions about shapes at the beginning and again the end of the activity. Use visual clues if necessary (for example, if children are having trouble identifying a rectangle, say, “A rectangle looks like a door”).

Children’s Books

Shape Capers by Cathryn Falwell

The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds

When a Line Bends…A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene

 

Freya Zellerhoff, Towson, MD

 

 

Symmetrical Shapes

 

Learning Objectives

The children will:

  1. Learn to identify a square, rectangle, triangle, circle, and oval.
  2. Learn about symmetry.

Materials

  • Scissors (adult only)
  • Construction paper
  • Red, yellow, and blue paint
  • Brushes
  • Newspapers

Vocabulary

Shape names                        symmetry

 

Preparation

  • Cut construction paper into various 9” x 12” shapes.
  • Set out newspaper over the area where the children will be working.

What To Do

  1. Engage the children in a discussion about symmetry. Show the children how to fold a paper circle in half, and how it remains symmetrical. Then fold a triangle in half in a way that is asymmetrical.
  2. Give the children paper shapes to fold in half, and then reopen and lay flat.
  3. Provide paint and brushes. Invite the children to put dabs of paint on one side of the folds on their papers. Remind the children not to brush the paint around, but merely to dab them.
  4. After they have put a few dabs of different colors of paint on their papers, direct the children to refold the paper, pressing hard several times on the paper. Help the children carefully reopen the paper so they can see the symmetrical dabs of paint on both sides of the paper.

Teacher-To-Teacher Tip

Consider taking the children on a walk through the school or the neighborhood to look for examples of symmetrical objects. Take notes or photographs of the symmetrical objects for the children to discuss later in the classroom.

 

Assessment

To assess the children’s learning, consider the following:

  • Does the child understand symmetry and asymmetry when you show him the difference with paper shapes?
  • Can the child fold, paint, and press the paper to create symmetrical images?

Children’s Books

All Shapes and Sizes by John J. Reiss

Circles, Triangles, and Squares by Tana Hoban

Color Dance by Ann Jonas

Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Blue? by Tana Hoban

The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola

 

Susan Oldham Hill, Lakeland, FL