Geometry: Sorting by Shape

The Mix-Up Monster arrives to show the kids how much they know. See the variations for some active (maybe noisy) ways to practice what they know.

Objectives

Children ages 3-4 years can group consistently by one shape and tell us why Cog. IIIA
ages 2 ½-4 can partially but inconsistently group by shape Cog. IIIA
ages 2 can understand and follow single directions Lang. IA
and ages 1 ½-2 can identify circle and triangle by pointing and naming Lang. IA

 
 
 

Materials

Mr. Math puppet; box with Mix-Up Monster puppet and many different colors and sizes of circles and triangles (squares may be added to increase challenge) inside; two trays (box lids, papers); pins.

Procedures

1. Mr. Math again conducts the lesson. "And here they are again. Do you remember?" Kids review shape names as Mr. Math holds up shapes one at a time. "I brought a box of shapes for us to play with today, but these shapes are all mixed up! Uh, Oh, look who's hiding under the shapes...it's the Mix-Up Monster!" The Mix-Up Monster laughs fiendishly, gloats on how thoroughly he has mixed up the shapes, ("You kids'll never get them sorted out."), and disappears. Mr. Math: "Here are two trays. Let's see if we can sort the shapes. Put the circles on this tray, the triangles on this tray." Children proceed with task (taking turns if it's a large group).

2. "Now that we've sorted the shapes, we can play another game. I need some children to be circles and some to be triangles." Pin circles on half the children and triangles on the others. Give a series of shape-related directions to the groups. "Circles stand up. Triangles sit in corner." Encourage the groups to look after their stragglers. Prompt if necessary. "Is Tommy a circle? Where should he be? Help him, circles!"

Variations

1. Include squares with other two shapes for highter skil level.

2. Matching shapes with shape lollipops: glue or staple a shape on the end of a popsicle stick.  Play music and have children skip.  When music stops, child finds another with matching shape.  Partners skip together when music begins. 

3. Shape lollipops #2: each child holds one shape lollipop and stands in a circle.  As music plays, adult or child calls, "Circles go in, triangles go out," etc.

4. Shape Hunt: Children hide eyes while teacher and/or helpers hide two or three kinds of shapes around the room (blocks, cardboard, or  drawn).

a. Leader holds up a shape, chidren name it and find only that shape.  Repeat for other shapes.

b. Children hunt for all shapes.  Then, indiidually or in a group, sort by shape (possibly counting how many of each shape).