How do you build spatial reasoning, critical thinking, and problem solving skills while doing something that is fun? With tangrams! In honor of Chinese New Year, this lesson introduces your students to the Chinese puzzle of tangrams.

2D shapes are all around us! In this lesson students will explore the properties of four different shapes—triangles, circles, rectangles, and squares! They will learn that they can find these shapes anywhere in the world around us.

Shapes, shapes everywhere! In this lesson, your students will identify shapes and differentiate between the geometrical figures. They will also learn about sides and angles in every shape.

Students will love composing and decomposing two-dimensional shapes using tangram puzzle pieces. Use this plan alone or to frontload key vocabulary and concepts taught in the lesson plan Know Your Shapes.

Use a scavenger hunt, art activity, and stickers to help kindergarteners understand shapes and positional language.

Sorting takes on a new challenge for students in this activity which engages their critical thinking skills. As students determine defining attributes, they’ll figure out what makes a shape a shape!

In this lesson, your students will become familiar with shapes by identifying them in real life. Your students will love identifying how many sides shapes have by drawing and counting them!

Students will explore geometric shapes by creating a painting of a trapezoid.

It’s magic! In this lesson, students will “magically” move shapes together to form new shapes. Clay and toothpicks equal hands-on fun! Tangram challenges are provided for those students who need that little extra challenge.

Your students will solve and create shape riddles while practicing their knowledge of shape attributes.

Geometry meets data in this fun lesson! Students will build a design using pattern blocks and then graph the number of each shape used. This scaffolded EL lesson can be used alone or alongside Graphing Colored Counters.

Allow your students to explore the pros and cons of different strategies used to find the area of rectangles. Use this as a stand alone lesson or as a pre-lesson for the Multiplication and Area in the Community Garden lesson.

Students will love composing shapes using tangrams in this hands-on lesson! Use this plan alone or as a support lesson plan for the Tangrams: An Ancient Chinese Puzzle lesson plan.

Geometry is a core of mathematics in the early years. Help students recognize and draw shapes given specific attributes such as the number of corners and sides. This lesson can be a stand-alone activity of paired with 2-D Shapes!

Give your students some early practice with shapes using this simple lesson. Young learners will have a great time creating shapes using pieces of string.