Shape Posters

We’ve been writing definitions of the shapes we observe and use at math times. The following quote from my Investigations teacher’s guide can tell you more about why this is an important part of geometry work. As you view our posters, please remember that the definitions are those of the children, and reflect their emerging understanding.

“Geometry in the lower elementary grades is a lot more than learning to say the names of shapes. Young children should certainly hear the words for common shapes…used correctly in content. However, building meaning for these words involves much more than seeing examples and memorizing the name for that shape. Kindergarten children are just beginning to learn which shapes are described by words such as square, circle, rectangle, triangle, cube, and sphere. To do this, they have to figure out what characteristics make a difference in the classification system we use. For example, size and color don’t matter when we classify a shape as a rectangle or circle.”