Geometry

●For the first day of geometry I have the students bring in one 2-D shape and one 3-D shape.  We sort them out and discuss how they are alike and different.  Then we fill out a Venn Diagram to compare the two groups. 

Geometry Walk:  Read The Greedy Triangle .  Give each student 3 pieces of straw to form the triangle.  Then let them form each shape as the greedy triangle visits the shape monster to become a new shape. 

Grandfather Tang:  This is a story told with tangrams.  You could make tangrams from cardstock or tag board so the sudents can complete the tangram puzzles for the animals in the story while you read.

●Geometry Walk:  Take your students on a geometry walk in your building.  Take a pad of post its and each time a student sees a shape- write it down on the post it.  When you return to the classroom you can make a bar graph of these items.  You could also take a digital camera and take pictures of a student standing next to, in front of, to the right of or to the left of each item you see.  Then you can make a class book and put sentences on each page.  EX.  Sarah is standing to the right of the U.S. flag.  The flag is a rectangle.

●Have the student build the geometric figures using toothpicks and gumdrops (or you can use marshmallows).  I use the colored toothpicks and have them use red for horizontal edges, blue for vertical edges, and yellow for oblique or diagonal edges as they build their shapes.  The gumdrops are for holding the toothpicks (edges) together.  Doing this makes it easy to identify edges (toothpicks), vertices (gumdrops), and faces (open spaces).

Gumdrop Geometry Activity

●To help students learn angles try using these movements. Acute angles is arms in an alligator mouth shape.  A right angle(90 degree)  by putting one arm straight by head/ear and one out stretched by the shoulder.  A Obtuse angle is one outstretched and one past 90 degrees (arms should be straight). Parallel lines arms next to each other like railroad tracks.  Intersecting lines arms are crossed.  Perpendicular lines one arm is bent at elbow (held horizontal) and one arm bent at the elbow.

●Symmetry:  Take pictures of each student and cut each picture in half.  Then have the students draw the other half of their face.  My students love this. 

Other books:

Do you have any ideas or links that you would like to share?  If so please email me and I would happy to add your idea.  It is my goal to make this site a place to get ideas for teachers.