Plane Geometric Shapes Tuesday :)

      Today my students worked on forming the shapes with their body and how to sort the shapes according to their characteristics.
      First, I had the students sit in their chairs that formed a circle. I reviewed the vocabulary and shapes with them. I went over the characteristics of each shape by calling on students to tell me what they know about the shape that I was holding in the air.
      Next, I demonstrated how we could form shapes with our bodies. As a class, we demonstrated how we could create a circle and oval by holding hands with the person next to them and move to where it created a circle and oval. Then, I picked students to come to the center of our circle and form a shape by laying down on the floor. I assisted the students to help them come up with ideas on how to form each shape.
     Then, I assigned students with a partner and had them complete a chart with six boxes and characteristics of a shape in each box. The students would cut out the shapes and glue them in the appropriate box. The six shapes names were listed at the top of the chart and they had to write the correct name of each shape in the appropriate box. I checked and conference with the students about the chart when the they were finished.

     When they had been checked, they completed a matching shape game. This game consisted of the shapes and the shape names. One person would complete it first, while the other checks that person; then they switched.
     Then the students completed a worksheet on their own that had them sort and identify shapes. They would color the shapes a certain color and then answer a few questions on the shape's characteristics on that worksheet.
     Before I dismissed them to their special, I had a person from each table to tell me something that they have learned about plane geometric shapes.  

Plane Geometric Shapes Monday :)

       For our Partnership class, we were required to create a week's worth of lesson plans for one subject of our choosing. We collaborated with our cooperating teacher and decided what we would be teaching for that week in that particular subject. I choose the subject, Math and decided that during that week, I would be teaching plane geometric shapes.
       So last Monday, I started my lessons. I had the students watch a you tube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htcuPenTg38&feature=related. This video introduced the shapes and the number of sides and corners each has, with the exception of the oval and diamond.
      Then, I held a discussion of the shapes using visuals of the six shapes (oval, circle, square, diamond, rectangle, triangle, and diamond) and the names of the shapes wrote on index cards. I introduced how many sides, vertices (corners, square corners) each shape has. I also introduced vocabulary words such as geometric figures, plane geometric figure, right angle, square corner, corner, vertices, and side.

      Next, I provided sandwich baggies with the six shapes in them. I called out a shape or the shape's characteristics, and the student would dig in their bag and hold up the shape they believe is correct. This activity was for me to formally assess the students to see if they have some understanding of the shapes and it's characteristics.
      Finally, I had students complete a worksheet with me. The worksheet had the students trace each shape carefully, while we determined how many sides and corners each shape had. Having the students trace each shape, helped me stress to he students how important it is to make these shapes accurate. For example, a square needs to be drawn so that all four sides are equal. As for a rectangle, the students needed to make sure they knew that two sides were longer than the other.