Geometry : Shape

·       Clements & Sarama (2000) claim that young children have developed their understanding about shapes 
   before they enter school. These children may acquire this knowledge from their home environment such as the shape of the door or windows.  

      In the classroom setting, there are many activities that can be done to help children to understand the concept of shape. 
       
      Hannibal (1999) suggested activities such as 
     - Looking at puzzles, books and so on and discussing 
      attributes of the shapes (do rectangle vary in size, right 
      angles, obtuse, isosceles triangles etc)
    - Include the concept and study of shape in not only maths
      but other areas of the curriculum too
    - Feely bag activities
    - Finding shapes from different angles
    - Working with tessellations
    - Cooking activities involving shape
    - Shape bingo, and the list goes on...
    
    All these activities can help children to recognize and   distinguish shape. Teachers have to scaffold children by asking them to visualize it. Allow time for children to explore shapes kinaesthetically and describe the shapes.
   
   Activity 1 : Describe the attribute of a shape.  

    Let's the children explore their surrounding and ask them to describe the shape that their have found. Besides, teachers also could provide them with wooden blocks that have different shapes (Picture 2). Then, we could ask them if any of the blocks have similarities to one and another; cube and cuboid or pyramid and cone. 

Picture 1: Discussing the attributes of the shape by using objects in class.

.

Picture 2: Wooden block.

    Apart from that, teachers also can show a picture of the shape and asks children to tell the attribute of the shape. For example;

Q  Can you name this shape and some of the features

    that it has?
A  It is a triangle. It has 3 sides, 3 points, 3 angles, all
    the sides are straight and all the lines are connected.

      

    Activity 2 : Looking shape at different angles. 

Picture 2 and 3 are examples of finding shapes from different angle.

Picture 3

T: If we look at this picture from this angle what shape do we
    see?
S: A circle.

Picture 4

          T: Now, if we look at this picture from this angle what shape
       do we see?
   S: A cylinder.


   
   Activity 3: Ordering/grouping the shape based on their 
                  attribute.


   Another activities that can be done in a class is by asking the children to order the shapes based on their attribute. First, teachers have to provide them with a paper that have pictures with different shapes (Picture 5). Then, children have to cut out the shapes and begin to order them based on their interest. For example Picture 6 and 7. As for teachers, we should ask questions to them to check on their understanding in this area such as 'How do you order your shape?' or 'Can you explain the attribute each of the group?'

Picture 5

Picture 6: 

Ordering the shapes based on different side: acute, isosceles, and obtuse triangle.

Picture 7:
Ordering the shapes based on different angles.

Activity 4: Geoboard.

   Another activities that children can do is by asking them to create a shape by listening to the specific instruction from the teacher.

Picture 8

Picture 8 at the above shows an activity where children have to create shapes by using a rubber band on a geoboard. They have to listen carefully for the teacher instruction or description of the specific shape. Here is an example description that a teacher can use in this activity.


T:  I want you to make a shape that has 3 sides, 3 points, 3 angles, all the sides are straight and
     all the lines are connected. 


Furthermore, the geoboard also a good tool for students to explore the concept of perimeter and area.


Click this link: Geoboard, for fun and interactive activity by using virtual geoboard to explore geometric concepts of area and perimeter.