Lesson plan
Shapes and Shadows
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to identify the shapes square, rectangle, and triangle.
The adjustment to the whole group lesson is a modification to differentiate for children who are English learners.
Introduction
(5 minutes)
- Gather your students at the group area where you have set up the projector.
- Start with a simple object that the children can easily identify and make a shadow with it. Have your students identify it.
- Show your students the object. Identify it verbally and visually and then place it on the projector again.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling
(5 minutes)- Tell your students that you will be identifying shapes like you did with the object that made the shadow.
- Show the students some of the different shapes and identify them as a group.
Guided Practice
(5 minutes)- Review the qualities of the shapes. For example: "A square has four sides that are the same size."
- Place a shape on the shadow board and have students identify it.
Independent working time
(15 minutes)- Have students interact with the shapes and shadows.
- Students may construct creations with the shapes (for example, a house with a square and a triangle on top).
- Encourage students to work with a partner and identify the shapes they are using in their figures.
Differentiation
Support:
- Have struggling students match different shapes that you traced onto a transparency as a review activity.
Enrichment:
- Encourage advanced students to work with and identify 3D shapes, such as cylinders, cubes, and pyramids.
Assessment
(5 minutes)- Have students identify shapes as you point to them.
- Have students complete one or more of the following worksheets: Shape Jumble, Shapes 'n' Sizes, or Tracing Basic Shapes.
- Collect the worksheets and review them later to assess students' understanding of the lesson content.
Review and closing
(15 minutes)- Have students work collaboratively on a class mural by gluing the shapes onto the poster paper.
- Allow volunteers to label the shapes.
Related Guided Lesson
Based on your interest in Shapes and Shadows.
My Shadow
Related learning resources
Shape Jumble
Worksheet
Shape Jumble
Help your kindergarten child learn his geometric shapes with this printable coloring worksheet.
Kindergarten
Math
Worksheet
Shapes and Shadows
Lesson plan
Shapes and Shadows
Students will get hands-on experience manipulating shapes in this preschool-friendly activity.
Preschool
Math
Lesson plan
Toy Shapes
Worksheet
Toy Shapes
These toys have gotten their shadows all mixed up! Can your child match up the toy shapes? She'll be learning about patterns and sorting as she goes.
Preschool
Math
Worksheet
Fish Shapes Match Up
Worksheet
Fish Shapes Match Up
Help your little one learn to recognize shapes and patterns with a fun, fishy match-up activity! She'll help these cute fish find their shadows.
Preschool
Math
Worksheet
