Shapes

Children in kindergarten learn about six shapes. circle, square, triabgle, rectangle,diamond and oval. I learned that the most effective way to introduce a shape is to start with a straight line. I would show students a wire covered with chenillle. They used to be called pipe cleaners. I don't know what they are called now but you can get them at a craft store and are about 12 inches long. I would then show the students how the shape was formed I would do it with each shape introduced (e.g.so they could see the differences between a square and a diamond, a difference that even escaped our principal when she came to observe.) We would look for the shape around the room. (e.g. square - window, rectangle - door etc.)
We would also make a book the same shape as each shape as the shape just introduced. (e.g. a round book shaped like a circle.) The first page would say trace a circle. the second page said color a circle, the third - trace a circle, the fourth, draw a circle. The fifth page said, Cut a circle and included a small piece of paper with a circle drawn on it. Students would cut it out and glue it to the page. The last page was labeled, "This is a Circle Picture." Students would make a picture using the introduced shape. (e.g. a circle shaped cookie, triangle Christmas tree, rectangle robot, etc.) We learned a song for each shape and continued to revue them throughout the year. Interesingly students never had trouble identifying the required shapes.

What I learned: Repetition is sometimes necessary for remembering. The key is making the repetition interesting.

Oops!

My last post was accidentally posted to the wrong blog, It is entitled patterns. You can read it by going to foreverblooming . blogspot .com