Achieving a fun learning experience with shapes activities is easy. Shape practice is the perfect time to get crafty in the classroom, and it opens up a world of design. We can even think of an introduction to shapes as an introduction to engineering, architecture, and more!
When we consider using shapes that way, it’s only right to make learning shapes a hands-on and interactive experience. The following learning shapes activities incorporate literacy, food, and fun to achieve optimum engagement while deepening students’ understanding of the shape’s role in our world.
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Chances are your students have already been exposed to 2D shapes. However, there is always something new to learn about shapes! Begin with the basics but make it interesting by using shape poems.
After reviewing or introducing shapes, take students on a shape hunt around the classroom or school. Encourage students to look for everyday objects to match the shapes they have learned about.
These tangible examples of shapes will help students make real-world connections to the shapes they study.
Enhance your shape lessons with a read-aloud that ties literature to math. The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns is a book that tells the story of a triangle that transforms into various shapes by adding more sides.
As you are reading, have students use geo-boards to create the different shapes that The Greedy Triangle becomes.
For more literacy + math connections, check out my favorite children’s math books!
Once students have a good grasp of basic shapes, it may be time to dig a little deeper into polygons. Students learn that polygons are plane shapes with straight sides. Many of the shapes they know and work with every day are polygons!
Have students sort shapes into the correct categories so they understand the defining properties of polygons.
It’s no surprise that I found a way to squeeze in a food activity during math! Students can make shapes out of candy. This can be done with gumdrops or marshmallows and toothpicks. I had sour straws and Skittles on hand, so that works too!
This hands-on activity makes learning fun and reinforces understanding of shapes and their attributes.
Bring some creativity into your shape lessons with shape monsters! Students can work from a template and use different shapes to create monsters. After creating their shape monster, students write a short description of their creature or a make-believe story to go along with it.
This is a great way to integrate writing with math!
Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
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