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Activity Centre: Geometry
Important Concepts
Geometry sets the stage for so many other subjects in math and is
considered the second most important area in pre-K-2 and in grade 3-5.
Key Ideas:
1. Van Hiele Levels for teaching Geometry
Educators must begin with teaching 2D shapes before teaching 3D
shapes. This may seen obvious, but kindergarten, grade one and grade
two students need to have a solid foundation of how to describe the
properties of the figures (Level 1), before they begin to recognize and
describe attributes of all shapes and move towards a more precise
description of classes of shapes (Level 2). As you might have noticed, I
have placed Level 1 and Level 2 amoungst my sentences. These levels
refer to research done by Dina and Pierre Marie van Hiele which offers
educators guidelines for growth in geometric understanding and
thought. Their guidelines help to further breakdown these sections for
educators. Just as in reading and writing, scaffolding is necessary in
math. The three levels are Beginning (1), Intermediate(2) and
Advanced(3). Each level describes how to teach the curriculum
expectations such as describing, sorting, constructing, exploring,
location, transformations and discovering. Within the activities in the
textbook, information is given on what skills students would develop in
each level, as well as the mathematical understanding students needed
to possess prior to accomplishing the subsequent level.
2. Breaking down the unit on Geometry into four stages:
 understanding the properties of two and three dimensional
shapes
 locations and representations
 transformations and visualization
 spatial reasoning
Ruth Weaver
Can You Find It?
Objective: To identify and shade polygons with given properties
Warm-up:
-Place various shapes out for the students to view and touch
-These shapes are: isosceles triangle, symmetrical and non-symmetrical quadrilateral, convex
and concave pentagon, symmetrical and non-symmetrical -hexagon and an octagon
-Ask them to identify what each shape is; observe if they are using proper mathematical
language
Lesson:
-Begin by reviewing the attributes a triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, hexagon and octagon
possess
-Review the terms, parallel, perpendicular, obtuse and acute angles, symmetry, convex and
concave. As well, review the term quadrilateral
Activity:
-Have them use the knowledge they have acquired thus far to complete the “Can You Find It?”
work sheet.
Ruth Weaver
Section C
Unit: Geometry and Spatial
Sense
Topic: 2D Shapes
Lesson: Identifying and
Comparing 2D Shapes and
Angles
Objectives
Assessment
Students will:
Observe and assess how students:
 Identify 2D shapes and classify them by their
geometric properties:
 distinguish among polygons, regular
polygons, and other two-dimensional
shapes:
 create a variety of representations of
mathematical ideas (e.g., by using
physical models, pictures, numbers,
variables, diagrams, graphs, onscreen
dynamic representations).
 Create various polygons;
 Classify and sort shapes and angles
according to benchmarks;
 Relate the names of the benchmark
angles to their measures in degrees (e.g.,
a right angle is 90 degrees).
Lesson Plan:
1. Review and define terms covered in previous lessons.
2. Show students different shapes that you have placed in front of them
3. Ask the students to investigate the shapes
4. Students will be asked to identify each shape and provide the reasoning as to why
a shape is deemed symmetrical, concave etc.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 with each shape
6. Once students have constructed definitions of each shape, they will be asked to create
various shapes in the activity sheet “Can You Find It?”
Activity:
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Students work in partners to create the shapes
Co-operative and problem solving skills with have to be utilized in this activity for students
to draw each shape. They can offer each other ideas as to how to construct the shapes.
Come back and discuss findings.
Materials:
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Shape Pattern (1 set per each pair of students)
Can You Find It work sheet (1 per student)