Lesson Plan College of Saint Benedict/Saint Johns University

Title of Lesson: Shape Detectives

Grade Level: Kindergarten
NCTM Standard: Geometry
Process Standard(s): Reasoning & Proof, Communication

Minnesota Academic Standards: Objectives:

K.3.1.1 Kindergarteners will be able to:
1. Identify a circle-shaped object and a
Recognize basic two- and three- triangle-shaped object in the classroom
dimensional shapes such as squares,
circles, triangles, rectangles, trapezoids,
hexagons, cubes, cones, cylinders and
spheres.

Rationale:
This lesson is important because it gives students new ways to think about shapes.
This lesson is relates to prior knowledge because it utilizes two-dimensional shapes
students are already familiar with. It extends their thinking by encouraging students
to recognize and describe distinguishing features that make it similar or different
from other shapes. It relates to future learning because students will eventually
have to identify which shape doesnt belong in a set.

Kindergarten rationale: Shapes are all around usat school, at home, outside, at
the store. Now we will finally be able to describe what we see around us every day!

Materials/Preparation Needed:
Book Shapes that Roll by Karen Nagel
Jumbo pattern blocks, 2 per student
Shape cards for Heads Up game
Shapes in Disguise Worksheets, 1 per student

List and define:

1. discipline specific language:
two-dimensional: flat shape
three-dimensional: shapes that pop out at you
circle: shape with curved edge
triangle: shape with 3 sides and 3 points
square: shape with 4 sides that are the same
hexagon: shape with 6 sides
Rectangle: a shape with 4 sides, the opposite sides are the same but the ones next
to each other are different.

2. academic language:
Identify: describe using words, gestures, or highlighting to explain the unique
features of a shape
Recognize: be able to notice that they have seen these shapes before in our
lessons
Use: write descriptive words
Illustrate: show what the shapes look like
Classify: make into categories, describe the shape
Descriptions: telling what the shape looks like
Describe: to tell
Compare: share what is the same and what is different
Slanted: a line that is not straight
Curved: a line that starts to make a circle

Anticipatory Set: (5 minutes)

Read passage from text Shapes that Roll by Karen Nagel. Ask students to identify
what shapes they see in the books and ask them to illustrate what parts of those
shapes look like using gestures with their bodies. Ask questions like, How do we
know it is a _____ (i.e. circle, triangle, etc.)? or What does ____ (i.e. slanted,
curved) mean? Can anyone show me with there arms what a ____ (i.e. circle,
point) looks like? I am glad we read that story to learn about what makes shapes
the same and different, because we have a problem on our hands.

Procedure: (15 minutes)

Secret Detective Meeting (8 minutes)
We just caught shape thieves who were trying to steal the supplies from the bins at
your tables. I need you, very slowly, sneakily, and quietly, to go capture two of the
shape thieves and bring them in for questioning. When you get back to the front of
the room with your thieves, put the thieves in the jail cells (buckets) that have the
shape picture that matches the shape of the thieves you collected. Are there any
questions? Get out your magnifying glasses detectives. Are you ready? Remember
to be sneaky and quiet. Have students collect two shape thieves and put them in
the jail cells they belong in.
Now our job as shape detectives is to be able to describe, or tell about, these
shapes so we can warn all of our friends at this school what they should watch out
for in their classrooms. Select one jail cell. Ask students, What shape is this?
What parts of this shape helps you know it is a ______? Think aloud to give
students ideas of descriptive words they could use to describe shapes such as what
types of lines they see and how many sides there are. Make a list of these words on
the board. Then compare the shapes by holding up shapes from different jail cells
and asking students What is the same about these shapes? What is different
about them? If students are having difficulty describing the shapes, ask students to
imagine they were trying to tell about what a shape looks like to their younger
brothers and sisters.

Practicing Shape Detective Skills--Heads Up with Shapes (10 minutes)

Now that the detectives have the vocabulary to describe the shapes, its time to
practice. Now we are going to practice using the words that we just came up with
to describe shapes in a game so we can become expert detectives. Here is how the
game works: I am going to hold up a card with a shape on my head. I wont be able
to see what the shape is, but all of you will. I need you to give me clues of what the
shape looks like so I can figure out what the shape is. Hold up 3 shape cards and
ask about three students for clues each time so you can guess what shape it is.
Then say its time to switch roles. Release students by clothing color to get their
whiteboards, markers, and erasers. Have them sit down at their tables. Give
students one minute to draw for fun. Then the teacher gives students clues and
asks them to draw the shape they think you are describing on their whiteboard.
Then have students hold up their whiteboards so you can informally assess
students by making note of any students who are struggling. Then have students
discuss with their tablemates why they thought it was that shape before asking for a
whole class consensus. Ask the class a question such as Why did you think it was
a ____ instead of a ____? if there is disagreement between students. Do this two
more times.

Transition: Ask students to stand up and make different shapes with their arms and
dismiss them by tables to put their whiteboard supplies away. Then have the table
leader come get worksheets for their tablemates.

Shapes in Disguise Activity (8 minutes)

Now tell students that since they have become expert shape detectives they are
ready for the final test of their detective skills. Around the classroom, many of the
ordinary objects that we see and use everyday are shaped like the shapes we
practiced describing today. For instance, what objects in our room are square
shaped? (Calendar, window, poster, etc.) How do you know? So now as detectives,
I need to you to find two objects that look like some of the shapes we talked about
today. You can draw the objects on your worksheet. The first object I want you to
find is a circle. Draw one object in our classroom that is the shape of a circle. (Give
students 2-3 minutes) The second one is a triangle. Draw an object in our room that
looks like a rectangle. (Give students 2-3 minutes)

Assessment of Learning:
Shapes in Disguise Worksheet
1: Beginning 2: Developing 3: Proficient 4: Exceeds

SWBAT: SWBAT: SWBAT: SWBAT:

Identify a circle- identify a circle- identify a circle-shaped Identify a circle-shaped
shaped object or a shaped object or a object and a triangle- object and a triangle-
triangle-shaped triangle-shaped object shaped object in the shaped object in the
object in the in the classroom classroom classroom and write
classroom with down descriptive
assistance words about the object
that explain why they
know it is that shape

Closure: (3 minutes)
Think-Pair-Share: Ask students to think of one new word they learned to describe a
shape. Then have them share it with their elbow partner at their table. Finally, have
students share with the whole class. Ask students if they liked being shape
detectives today by giving you a thumbs up, thumbs to the side, or a thumbs down.

Assignment:
N/A

Accommodations:
Providing for multiple intelligences:
Interpersonal: Meeting with the other shape detectives and describing the shape
to the class is a nice way for students who work socially to learn best.
Visual: the lesson includes jumbo pattern blocks and vibrant illustrations in text
Intrapersonal: there is individual work time on which shape is different worksheet
Logical/mathematical: the lesson explores geometry through shapes
Linguistic: the read aloud Shapes that Roll helps linguistic learners
Kinesthetic: students move around the room as shape detectives to find the shapes

For students who struggle, the assessment can be modified by adding the drawing
of the shape to the assessment. This will not hinder those students because they
still need to find an object in the classroom that looks like the shape (ie a circle is
drawn but students still need to know what a circle is and compare the circle to the
object picked)

For students who need to be challenged, new shapes can be introduced in an

extension activity, or during the lesson (if all students are there). Shapes such as
hexagons, trapezoids, and other 3-dimensional shapes will challenge students to
think critically.

Reflection
N/A