* Circle Rubbing (manipulative)

On a piece of cardboard (I save the cardboard from legal pads for this), glue
various sized circles which have been cut from coarse sandpaper.   Write the
word "circle" at the bottom.  Place on a clip board with a clean sheet of
paper on top.  The clip board holds the paper in place.  Children take a
crayon (holding it sideways) and rub like crazy.  The circles will
"magically" appear.  My children (age 3) will make several rubbings in the
course of a day.  (Child directed activity - it's a free choice item in my
manipulative center) 


* Circle Game

Write the word "circle" on a paper plate.  Children sit in a circle.  Play
some music while passing the circle from child to child.  When the music
stops (similar to musical chairs) the child holding the circle holds it up
and says "circle!"  My children learned this yesterday and loved doing it
(age 3).

* Circle Cards

I made this manipulative...Cut cards from poster board or use small index
cards.  Cut 2 inch circles from various materials, such as sand paper,
corrugated cardboard,  cordauroy (sp!), fuzzy fabric, etc.  Make two of each.
Children mix up the cards and match the ones that feel the same.  I made a
set of 22 with fabric scraps and different types of paper. (again, a free
choice activity in my manipulative center)  

Also have been eating and making different foods which are circular in
shape....English muffin pizzas, bagels,  even cut bread slices into circles
for french toast or sandwiches. 


*  Shape Detective
 
 Take a plain sheet of paper.  Down the left hand margin, draw a circle,
square, triangle, and rectangle.  Now it's time to be a shape detective and
go on a shape hunt.  Walk slowly through your classroom and school.  Each
time you find something that matches one of the shapes, make a check mark
next to that shape. When you have finished your shape hunt, count all of the
shapes you found.  Which shape did you find the most times?  Which did you
find the least?  How many shapes did you find altogether.  
 This is an excellent visual discrimination activity in which children pick
out shapes hidden in common objects.  Beginning detectives may want to focus
on only one shape at a time.


* This is an easy craft activity that I sometimes use when we are reviewing
shapes we have learned.

I provide the children with a wide variety of shapes in many colors.
Sometimes I add shapes cut from old wall paper books for added texture and
variety.  I give them each a sheet of drawing paper and a glue stick. Then I
challange the children to create a creature, a person or a thing.  Usually I
leave it pretty wide open.  They come up with some terrific ideas.  They can
use crayons or markers to add details and sometimes I give them things like
yarn scraps, feathers, styro packing peanuts, etc. They come up with some
terrific ideas.  

We've also done the same kind of thing but just using one shape in a variety
of sizes, colors and textures.


* I make shape people with my three year old class.  I make a circle out of
red construction paper (I combine colors with shapes here), make white
ovals for eyes with black circles inside, make short rectangles for arms
and long rectangles for legs, hearts for hands and triangles for feet, all
in different colors.  I do the same with triangles, squares and rectangles.
  I cut all the shapes out but I let the children glue them together. 
Gluing is another teaching experience. We hang them in the room for the
rest of the week and they take them home the following week. 


* You sing it to the tune of Freres Jacque (can not spell it ~ sorry) I write
it on chart paper and hang it in the room.  We refer to it quite often.  I
draw the shape beside it's section of the song.  


SHAPES

This is a square.
This is a square.
How can you tell?
How can you tell?
It has four sides all the same size.
It's a square, it's a square.

This is a rectangle.
This is a rectangle.
How can you tell?
How can you tell?
It has two long sides and two short sides.
It's a rectangle.
It's a rectangle.

This is a circle.
This is a circle.
How can you tell?
How can you tell?
It goes round and round.
No end can be found.
It's a circle.  It's a circle.

This is a triangle.
This is a triangle.
How can you tell?
How can you tell?
It has three sides that join to make three points.
It's a triangle.
It's a triangle.


* Learning shapes through the year
(from Clare Cherry's book, Creative Art for the Developing Child).
Sept.- Use art/easel paper cut into circles  - explore round things
(this could tie into an apples unit)  
October- Use rectangular paper - help children find the corners
Then return to round at the end of the month  for pumpkin shapes
November - introduce pennant-shaped paper - help the children discover
that pennants have points.  Paint leaf shapes with many points.
Towards the end of the month, return to circles for fruit shapes
(Thanksgiving)
December-  Provide triangular shaped paper for Christmas Trees. 
January - Use square shapes.  Show the children that the sides are the same
length on each side.  Fold the squares into a cone and make snowflakes.
February - Continue with folding activities - make hearts
March - Diamond shapes, kites use this shape again in May for Japanese
kite holiday. 
April - Oval shapes - Paint giant eggs for Easter on egg shaped easel paper.
May - Scalloped circular shapes inspire children to make flowers.
June- Make long murals using crayons, chalk or collage materials.
July- use over-sized rectangles - make flags.
August - Have the children lay on butcher paper - trace the outline of their

shapes. Let the children paint their paper shapes.


* Point a Path

Purpose:  To provide meaningful experience with geometric shapes.

1.  Provide a muff in tin containing several colors of mixed finger
paints for each table or small group of 4-6 children.

2.  Supply a large piece of paper for each child.

3.  Direct children to make various geometric shapes by dipping one
finger in the paint and making a "fingerprint path" to show that shape.

Examples:  " Make a fingerprint path that shows a blue circle."
                    "  Make a fingerprint path shows a triangle."


* One of the fun activities that I do in my kindergarten class when we are 
learning about shapes is to give each child a brown lunch sack to take 
home with this note attached: "We are learning about shapes. Please help 
your child find objects around your house in the shape of a circle, 
square, triangle, rectangle, oval and diamond. The objects must all fit 
into this bag. We will share their "Shapes in a Sack" on Friday."

It was fun for the children to discover common household objects in the 
various shapes; both parents and children enjoyed the activity and we 
had some very original items!



* 
 
 SQUARE:
 
 A,B,C, Tumble-Down D
 
 A,B,C, tumble-down D,
 The cat's in the cupboard
 And you can't see me!
 
 CIRCLE:
 
 Hickory, Dickory, Dock
 
 Hickory, Dickory, Dock
 The mouse ran up the clock.
 The clock struck one, the mouse ran down,
 Hickory, Dickory, Dock.
 
 TRIANGLE:
 
 Simple Simon
 
 Simple Simon met a pie man,
 Going to the fair;
 Says Simple Simon to the pie man,
 "Let me taste your ware."
 
 RECTANGLE:
 
 Mary at the cottage door
 
 One, two, three, four,
 Mary at the cottage door;
 Five, six, seven, eight,
 Eating cherried off a plate.
 
 DIAMOND:
 
 Little girl
 
 Little girl, little girl, where have you been?
 Gathering roses to give to the queen.
 Little girl, little girl, what gave she you?
 She gave me a diamond as big as my shoe.
 
 STAR:
 
 Star Light, Star Bright
 
 Star Light, Star Bright
 The first star I see tonight;
 I wish I may, I wish I might
 Have the wish I wish tonight.
 
 OVAL:
 
 Humpty Dumpty
 
 Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,
 Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
 All the king;s horses and all the king's men
 Couldn't put Humpty together again.
 
 HEART:
 
 Heart Tarts
 
 The Queen of hearts made some tarts,
 All on a summer's day.
 The Jack of Hearts ate the tarts,
 Then put away the tray.

 THE SHAPE OF THINGS
 
 What is a circle?  What is round?
 A quarter rolling on the ground.
 A wheel is a circle, so is the moon,
 A bottle cap, or a big balloon.
 
 What is a square, with sides the same?
 The wooden board for a checker game.
 A slice of cheese, a TV screen,
 A table napkin to keep you clean.
 
 What is a rectangle, straight and tall?
 The door that stands within your wall.
 A dollar bill, a loaf of bread,
 The mattress lying on your bed.
 
 What is a triangle, with sides of three?
 A peice of pie for you and me.
 A musical triangle, ding, ding, ding,
 A slice of pizza with everything!
 
 These are the shapes seen everywhere:
 A triangle, rectangle, circle, square.
 If you look closely where you've been,
 You'll surely see the shapes you're in!
 
 SUGGESTIONS FOR SHARING
 Have children use their thumbs and index fingers to form each of the 
 four shapes as they recite the poem.  Or have them use their index 
 fingers alone to draw each shape in the air as they recite.
 
 THEMATIC ACTIVITIES
 
 Divide the class into four groups, assigning each a different shape.  
 Have them go on a shape hunt to search for classroom items that have 
 their assigned shape.  Later, let each group display the items they 
 found.
 
 Play a variation on Concentration by preparing eight or more index 
 cards, each bearing a circle, square, rectangle, or triangle (each 
 card should have a match).  Lay the cards face down.  Players take 
 turns turning two cards over in an attempt to make a match.  A playaer 
 keeps the cards if they are the same shape and the player can 
 correctly name it.
 
 CLASSROOM RESOURCES
 
 Pancakes, Crackers, and Pizza:  A Book of Shapes by Marjorie Eberts 
 and Margaret Gisler, Childrens Press
 Shapes and Colors by Denise Lewis Patrick, Western
 Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban, Greenwillow