LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Goal 3

Geometry - The learner will identify, describe, draw, and build basic geometric figures.

Objective 3.03

Compare and contrast geometric figures.

Resources aligned to this objective

Super shape shifter
Students learn shapes and put them together to make other shapes.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Mathematics)
By Becky Woolard.
Open the gate, close the gate
Open the Gate, Close the Gate is a variety of activities to provide practice identifying and discriminating between open and closed figures. The activities are designed to meet varying learning styles, and to move students from the concrete level to the abstract level of learning.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Mathematics)
By Mary Deans.
Is it open or closed?
Students will identify and create open and closed figures using labeled cards and pipe cleaners.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Mathematics)
By Vickie Fender.
Hula hoop sorting
Students will use two large hula hoops to form a Venn Diagram. Then, using various colored paper shapes, they will recognize, and identify circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, hexagons, trapezoids, and parallelograms.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Mathematics)
By Diane Jackson.
Geometry and art: Art museum visit
This lesson is the second in a three-part unit integrating math, writing and visual arts. In this lesson students apply their knowledge of geometry by sorting, classifying and counting plane geometric figures during a visit to the art museum to look at and compare twentieth- century paintings. Students then collect data and share what they observe.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Visual Arts Education and Mathematics)
By Loretta Hopper.

Resources on the web

Virtual Puzzles
Students work with virtual puzzles to experience turns, rotations, slides, and spatial relationships in a powerful way. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Traveling Along: Measuring and Mapping -- Looking Back and Moving Forward
Students are provided with non-standard measuring tools such as paper clips, pencils, and Tangrams and are instructed to create and label a treasure map that leads to a special play area, a hidden treasure, or a favorite toy. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics and Social Studies)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Three Sides
Students identify and recognize triangles using multiple representations. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Teaching shapes using read-alouds, visualization, and sketch to stretch
This ReadWriteThink lesson encourages strategic reading and real-world math connections using a variety of techniques. Students explore shape and pattern through an adapted sketch to stretch strategy and read-alouds of winter-themed books. In the final... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts and Mathematics)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
Tangram Puzzles
This activity helps students to develop their spatial memory and spatial visualization skills, to recognize and apply transformations, and to become more precise in their use of vocabulary about space. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Puzzling Relationships
Students use concrete materials to develop the skills needed to work with interactive Tangram puzzles in Lesson Seven. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Putting it all together
Students create, design, and evaluate different structures. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science
Making Virtual Triangles
Students identify and recognize triangles using multiple representations interactive electronic geoboards to explore the characteristics of triangles. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Making Triangles
Students use 45- and 90-degree angles to create triangles and develop an understanding of the relationship between angles and the shape of a triangle. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Making Rectangles
Students use their knowledge of numbers, measurement and geometry to plan the steps necessary for a ladybug to draw rectangles of different sizes. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Investigating the concept of triangle and properties of polygons
Describes activities using interactive geoboards to help students identify simple geometric shapes, describe their properties, and develop spatial sense. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
I've Seen That Shape Before
In a variety of activities, students use physical models of simple solid shapes, and identify these shapes in the real-world and in pictures found on websites. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
How Do You Build Triangles?
Students investigate basic properties of triangles. They then investigate the relationships among basic geometric shapes and communicate their findings to their peers. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Going on a shape hunt: Integrating math and literacy
In this ReadWriteThink lesson, students are introduced to shapes through appropriate children's books and many different learning modalities. They then learn shape names, locate shapes in their environment, practice spelling out the names of items and shapes... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts and Mathematics)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
Going Beyond with Triangles
Students create a class triangle book and work with tangrams. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics