The Shape of Things
Grades: K-2
The Shape of Things
Students compose images from shapes, write a sentence to describes their work, and create their own version of The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds.
Engage
Ask students to find shapes around your classroom. The clock is likely a circle, but highlight shapes that are part of a group of shapes. For example, your pencil sharpener will have a circle where you insert the pencil, but the entire shape of the sharpener may be a rectangle.
As students call out shapes, highlight ones that are part of a group of shapes, and challenge them to find groups of shapes in your classroom.
Read The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds and Julie Lacome. This rhythmic story showcases the basic shapes in common objects. As you read each page, have students look at the illustrations and name all of the shapes that they find.
Create
To get creating with math, ask students to create their very own Shape of Things book by drawing a more complex object made from a base shape such as triangle or square.
Students can start their riddles from a new blank project in Wixie or an open canvas with a sentence stem.
You can let students draw whatever shape they want, but some may find it easier to see a picture in a shape that you have assigned. In any case, have students start by drawing the main, or largest shape first. Then add details to transform it into a special character, object, or location.
You can also assign a book that contains 4 starter shapes and sentence stems to help students get started.
Post the words for common shapes so that students can easily see how to spell them. Shape tools can be challenging to use for new computer users, so be sure to demonstrate how they work.
Be sure to have each student record their voice reading their sentences. Encourage them to practice before recording for the final time, or to preview the sound and try again.
Share
Print a copy of each student's book so that they can read and share with their families or read in your classroom library.
If each student contributed a single page to a class book, combine their work into a single file. Then, present from your computer at a school event or publish on your classroom web site.
