- glue
- markers
- multiple construction paper cutout shapes of various sizes (squares, triangles, circles, rectangles)
- pictures of houses with visible obvious shapes
- sheet of construction paper for each child
- build
- circle
- rectangle
- roof
- square
- triangle
- wall
MA Standards:
Speaking and Listening: SL.PK.MA.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners during daily routines and play.
Mathematics/Geometry/PK.G.MA.2 Identify various two-dimensional shapes using appropriate language.
MA Draft STE Standards:
Physical Sciences/Matter and Its Interactions: Structure and Properties of Matter/PS1.A Describe, compare, sort and classify objects based on observable physical characteristics, uses, and whether it is manufactured as part of their classroom play and investigations of the natural and human-made world.
Head Start Outcomes:
Science Knowledge/Scientific Skills and Method Observes and discusses common properties, differences, and comparisons among objects.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
Mathematics/Shapes and Spat Week 4 PDFs ial Sense 10 Investigate and identify materials of various shapes, using appropriate language.
Small Group: Build a Shape House
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
STEM Key Concepts: Different materials are useful for making different structures and different parts of structures
ELA Focus Skills: Comparing and Contrasting, Listening and Speaking, Vocabulary
Educator Prep: Make large shape cards for display: square, triangle, circle, rectangle. Prepare a display of pictures of houses with obvious shapes (square windows, rectangle door, circular windows, triangular roof, etc.).
Tell children that they are going to build a house out of different shapes. Point to the large square and review what children know about squares. Then draw attention to the pictures of various houses and have children name parts of the houses that are squares. Continue with other shapes.
Focus children’s attention on the materials. Tell children that you want them to make a shape house out of the materials. Explain that they will each glue shapes on to their sheet of colored paper to build their houses.
Encourage children to think about why a builder would use a particular shape to build part of a house, for example, a triangle for a roof because the slant will cause the rain and snow to slide off, a rectangle for a door because people need to walk through without bumping their heads, etc.
Take It Further: Assemble children’s shape houses into a “Building With Shapes” group book for children to look at on their own in the Library Center. You may want to include the display pictures scattered among the children’s pictures.