Shape Detectives: Discovering Shapes All Around Us!

Math Grades 1st Grade 6:08 Video
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Lesson Description

Let's become shape detectives! This lesson will help you learn to recognize circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, and trapezoids. We'll explore what makes each shape special and find them in our everyday world.

Video Resource

Recognizing shapes | Geometry | Early Math | Khan Academy

Khan Academy

Duration: 6:08
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Identifying circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, and trapezoids.
  • Defining attributes of shapes (sides, corners, equal lengths).
  • Understanding the relationship between shapes (e.g., a square is a special type of rectangle and rhombus).

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to correctly identify circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, and trapezoids.
  • Students will be able to describe the defining attributes of each shape (number of sides, corners, equal side lengths, parallel sides).

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students what shapes they already know. Show them different objects and ask what shapes they see. Introduce the idea that shapes are all around us.
  • Video Viewing (7 mins)
    Watch the Khan Academy video 'Recognizing shapes | Geometry | Early Math | Khan Academy'. Encourage students to pay attention to how each shape is described.
  • Shape Exploration (10 mins)
    After the video, review each shape. Ask students to describe what makes each shape special. Use real objects or drawings of shapes for this activity. Ask questions like: 'How many sides does a triangle have?' or 'Does a circle have corners?'
  • Shape Hunt (10 mins)
    Have students look around the classroom and try to find examples of the shapes they learned about. For example, a book might be a rectangle, a clock might be a circle. Have them share their findings with the class.
  • Wrap-up (3 mins)
    Review the shapes one last time. Ask students what they learned about shapes today.

Interactive Exercises

  • Shape Sorting
    Provide students with a collection of cut-out shapes (circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, rhombuses, and trapezoids). Have them sort the shapes into groups based on their names.
  • Shape Drawing
    Ask students to draw their own pictures using only the shapes they learned about. Encourage creativity!

Discussion Questions

  • What is your favorite shape and why?
  • Where have you seen these shapes in your house or outside?
  • How are a square and a rectangle the same? How are they different?

Skills Developed

  • Shape recognition
  • Observational skills
  • Shape Comparison
  • Critical Thinking

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which shape has three sides?

Correct Answer: Triangle

Question 2:

Which shape is round like a ball?

Correct Answer: Circle

Question 3:

Which shape has four equal sides and four corners?

Correct Answer: Square

Question 4:

Which shape has four sides, and the opposite sides are the same length?

Correct Answer: Rectangle

Question 5:

What shape has four sides that are all the same length, but no square corners?

Correct Answer: Rhombus

Question 6:

A square is a special type of which shape?

Correct Answer: Rectangle

Question 7:

Which of these is NOT a quadrilateral?

Correct Answer: Triangle

Question 8:

A shape with one pair of parallel sides is a...

Correct Answer: Trapezoid

Question 9:

Which shape is like a stretched-out square?

Correct Answer: Rectangle

Question 10:

How many sides does a rectangle have?

Correct Answer: 4

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

A shape that is round is called a ________.

Correct Answer: circle

Question 2:

A shape with three sides is called a ________.

Correct Answer: triangle

Question 3:

A shape with four equal sides and four square corners is a ________.

Correct Answer: square

Question 4:

A ________ has four sides and four corners, but the sides are not all the same length.

Correct Answer: rectangle

Question 5:

A rhombus has four sides that are the same length, but not all _______ corners.

Correct Answer: square

Question 6:

A square is a special kind of ________.

Correct Answer: rectangle

Question 7:

A shape with four sides is a ________.

Correct Answer: quadrilateral

Question 8:

A ________ has one pair of parallel sides.

Correct Answer: trapezoid

Question 9:

All sides of a ________ are the same length.

Correct Answer: rhombus

Question 10:

Squares, rectangles, rhombuses and trapezoids all have ___ sides.

Correct Answer: four

Educational Standards

CCSS.Math.Content.1.G.A.1:Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes. CCSS.Math.Content.1.G.A.2:Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape. (Students do not need to learn formal names such as 'right rectangular prism.')

Teaching Materials

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