Mathematical Emphasis
Investigation 1—2-D Shapes and Patterns

• Observing, describing and comparing 2-D shapes
• Developing vocabulary to describe 2-D shapes
• Grouping shapes according to common characteristics
• Becoming familiar with the names of 2-D shapes
• Composing and decomposing shapes
• Noticing relationships between shapes
• Using rotation and reflection to arrange shapes
• Filling a certain region with shapes
• Counting and adding
• Building a pattern by repeating a unit square

Tips For Helping At Home
Questions To Ask:

• What is the problem about? Tell me in your own words.
• What did your teacher show you in class?
• Can you make a drawing (model) to show that?
• What have you done so far?
• What do you need to do next?
• Can you show it in a different way?
• How did you get your answer?

Helping At Home
During this unit, you can help your child by looking for and talking about shapes around your home and in your neighborhood.

• Look for patterns or designs made from different shapes. Can you find floor patterns or wallpaper patterns made from squares, rectangles, triangles, circles, hexagons, and other shapes?
• Take walks with your child to look at the shapes of buildings in your neighborhood. On longer trips, talk about the shapes in buildings you see.
• Look at boxes you have at home. What shapes are they? How many sides do they have?
• Find books about shapes in the children’s section of your public library. Read them together.
• If you enjoy drawing, spend some time with your child drawing shapes you see around your home.

Vocabulary Terms

Names of shapes

• Circle
• Triangle (3 sides)
• Square (4 equal sides, square corners)
• Rectangle (4 sides, square corners)
• Rhombus (4 equal sides)
• Trapezoids (4 sides, only 2 sides are parallel)
• Hexagon (6 sides)

Pattern Blocks

Sets of plastic geometric shapes which include triangles (green), squares (orange), rhombuses (blue and tan), trapezoids (red) and hexagons (yellow)

Polygons

A closed shape having three or more straight sides

Square Corners

Right angles

Mathematics Strategy—When is a Triangle Not a Triangle?

Primary children are just beginning to build their knowledge about which shapes fit with geometric terms like square, triangle, rectangle, and circle. To do this, they have to figure out what characteristics make a difference in the classification system we use. They need to learn that things like size and color do not matter when classifying shapes. They also need to learn that orientation (how the shape is turned) does not change the identification of that shape.

Developing an idea of what is square-like or triangle-like is part of what students in primary grades are doing as they classify shapes. They learn to pay attention to all attributes of shapes. Part of the development of geometric knowledge is moving from seeing shapes as wholes to becoming more and more competent at analyzing their characteristics and making decisions about which characteristics matter in which situations. This development happens gradually during the elementary years.

Source: Investigations in Number, Data, and Space: Quilt Squares and Block Towns. Dale Seymour, 1998. (Page 50)

Mathematics Game—Sorting Shape Cards

Materials

Playing the Game

1. Cut out the shape cards (there are three sheets).



2. Have your child make a group of shapes that go together.



3. Have your child tell you what makes a shape belong to that particular group.



4. Try making different groups that focus on different characteristics.

Get to Shape Cards (for printing)