Ideas For A Lesson On Shapes

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

I have an observed lesson coming up - the focus is maths and I'm thinking of doing shape (probably 3D, but not decided yet!) Does anyone have any fun ideas for shape activities?

Ideas so far - going on a shape hunt around the classroom, feely bag game, junk modelling, investigating whether different shapes roll or not, shapes hidden in the sandpit, boxes of different building blocks - all ok but not very inspiring.

All ideas welcome!

thank you

[Guest]

we were doing 3d shape when ofsted arrived last year (reception) Following a carpet time with a feely bag of solid shapes and describing them the children were making tractors (farm visit) with junk modelling. It was commented on in the final report and praised for engaging boys for a sustained period

[Panders]

There was an idea on here some while ago, about using "magic" to turn 2d shapes into 3d shapes. Basically, you have a wand - some magic phrases and a box of 2d and their counterpart 3d shapes. Take out one of the shapes, show the children, put it into the box say the magic word/s, and wave the wand and pull out its 3d equivalent! Probably comes from Teachers TV or something like that.

 

Hopefully, one of the teachers who posted it will come on and explain it and how it worked for them and the children.

 

At pre-school, we sometimes play musical shapes. I have lots of pieces of card cut up into four different shapes these are spread out on the floor. We play the music when it stops I call out a shape, the children have to find that shape and I choose a child to tell me a fact, or something they know about the shape, or ask them to count the corners or whatever.

Edited January 19, 2012 by Panders

[Guest]

Thank you - I will definitely have a go at the 'magic trick' idea! Also love the idea of making tractors - might have to adapt it to fit in with our theme though (not sure what that will be yet).

 

please keep ideas coming!

[Guest]

You could have some sorting hoops laid out with a 3D shape placed in them. Give the children a shopping bag filled with 3D shaped items you would find in a supermarket e.g. tins, tubes of pringles, boxes, a toblerone box. They then have to take an item out and decide which hoop it needs to go into.

This works well as an independent activity.

Feely bag song to the tune of 'This old man' 'Feely bag, what's inside, what's the shape you try to hide, is it a circle, triangle, rectangle or square, feel the shape, describe whats there' Whoever is holding the bag when the song stops has to feel inside and describe the shape.

 

Claire

[Guest]

Thank you Claire

[Guest]

If you are wanting them to describe shapes we did shape wanted posters. Set the scene that all the shapes have gone missing from the classroom and you will have to make a poster togehter to display around school so people can help find them.

 

On a piece of paper I just typed Wanted poster- had a box below for a space for a shape to be draw and a few lines underneath for a description. Work togehter to describe a shape. tell the childrne to talk in partner to come up with three statment about the shape. e.g it rolls, it has no points, it has one side.

 

The children loved making thier own to display around school we gave them A3 sized paper and a post it note. During the session they coverd thier drawn shape with a post it note and read thier description to a friend, the friend had to then guess the shape.

 

To help with differientation you could pair a higher abiltiy writer with a lower one.

 

Stacey

[Froglet]

If you are wanting them to describe shapes we did shape wanted posters. Set the scene that all the shapes have gone missing from the classroom and you will have to make a poster togehter to display around school so people can help find them.

 

On a piece of paper I just typed Wanted poster- had a box below for a space for a shape to be draw and a few lines underneath for a description. Work togehter to describe a shape. tell the childrne to talk in partner to come up with three statment about the shape. e.g it rolls, it has no points, it has one side.

 

The children loved making thier own to display around school we gave them A3 sized paper and a post it note. During the session they coverd thier drawn shape with a post it note and read thier description to a friend, the friend had to then guess the shape.

 

To help with differientation you could pair a higher abiltiy writer with a lower one.

 

Stacey

 

I really like this idea - may well be stealing for when we do shape next week.