A little girl finds shapes everywhere in her home environment.  This book is a good reinforcement to noticing the many shapes in our world.

Materials

• Child picture
• Several small empty and clean cans (such as tomato sauce or paste)
• Several small empty and strong boxes (such as jewelry)
• Pool noodle cut into 2-inch sections.
• Pieces of felt cut into shapes of pizza ingredients

Vocabulary

There is a glossary in the back of the book to help define the many Spanish words throughout the story.

Before Reading the Story

Ask the children if they can draw a circle shape in the air. Now you draw a circle in the air while saying ”a circle has no sides, it just goes round and round”.  Have the children draw another circle in the air.  Ask the children if they can draw a square in the air.  Now you draw a square in the air and say, “a square has four equal sides”.  Show them how to draw a square by starting at your shoulder and moving your hand down to your waist then over, up, and over again counting the sides as you go.  Now try a rectangle saying, “it has four sides also but two are very long.  Start above your head and say down, over, up, over.  Try a triangle.  “A triangle has three sides”.  Start at your head, move your hand to your shoulder, your other shoulder and back up to your head counting the sides as you go.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; begins to recognize, describe, compare, and name common shapes, their parts, and their attributes.

Reading the Story

Point out the illustrations that go with the Spanish words.  When the book asks if the children can name shapes, stop and let them.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; begins to recognize, describe, compare, and name common shapes, their parts and attributes.

After Reading the Story

Hang 5 pieces of paper onto the wall.  At the top of one write Circle, top of 2^nd write Square, Rectangle, Triangle, and Oval.  Draw the shape next to the word.  Ask the children to help you name objects that fit each shape category.  Write the children’s responses under the correct shape.

Literacy/Early Writing; develops and understanding that writing is a way of communicating for a variety of purposes.

Discovery

If funds allow, it would be fun to make tortillas or to purchase tortillas and load them with grated cheese.

Put out a circle, a square, a rectangle, and a triangle cut from construction paper.  Have each child pick a shape and go for a shape walk around the classroom.  Ask them to find three things that are their shape and bring them back to the center.  They can trade off shapes and continue their shape walking.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; shows progress in matching, sorting, putting in series, and regrouping objects according to one or two attributes such as color, shape or size.

Music and Movement

Play circle games with the children such as The Hokey Pokey or In and Out the Windows.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7v3xLaEqCk Have the children stand in a circle and holds hands up high to form windows.  One child weaves in and out of the windows while everyone else sings.  At the end of the first verse, in and out the windows the child picks another person to take their place weaving in and out the windows. Continue singing the first verse over and over until everyone has had a turn going in and out the windows.

Language Development/Listening & Understanding; shows progress in understanding and following simple and multi-step directions.  AND Social & Emotional Development/Cooperation; develops increasing abilities to give and take in interactions; to take turns in games and using materials; and to interact without being overly submissive or directive.

Blocks

Challenge the children to make shapes using a variety of blocks.  Use masking tape to make large shapes on the floor for the children to use blocks to outline and/or fill in.

Approaches to Learning/Engagement & Persistence; grows in abilities to persist and complete a variety of tasks, activities, projects, and experiences.  AND Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; progresses in ability to put together and take apart shapes. 

Art

Put out your cans and small boxes along with paper plates with one or two colors of paint.  The children can put the can or box into the paint and use it to print the shapes onto paper.  Remind the children that when they print, they move their arm up and down, up and down.

Creative Arts/Art; gains ability in using different art media and materials in a variety of ways for creative expression and representation.

Sand and Water

Water and a pool noodle cut into many 2-inch lengths.  Let the children experiment stacking them in the water.  How many tall can they stack?

Mathematics/Number & Operations; demonstrates increasing interest and awareness of numbers and counting as a means for solving problems and determining quantity.   AND Mathematics/Number & Operations; develops increasing ability to count in sequence to 10 and beyond.

Library and Writing

Draw shapes on pieces of manila folder and let the children cover it with play dough.  Can they roll out snake lengths to be a side?  Can they roll many balls to go around the edges?  Can they pound the dough to fill in a shape and then use a plastic knife to edge it out?

Physical Health & Development/Fine Motor Skills; grows in hand-eye coordination in building with blocks, putting together puzzles, reproducing shapes and patterns, stringing beads, and using scissors.

Dramatic Play

Making pretend pizzas out of felt shapes is fun if you have the funds or time to do so.

Creative Arts/Dramatic Play; shows creativity and imagination in using materials and in assuming different roles in dramatic play situations.

Math and Manipulatives

Put out any parquetry blocks or other shape materials that you may have for the children to play with.

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; progresses in ability to put together and take apart shapes

Outdoor Play

Draw a hopscotch board on the cement today.  Show the children how to hop and jump through the squares. 

Physical Health & Development/Gross motor Skills; shows increasing levels of proficiency , control, and balance in walking, climbing, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, marching, and galloping.

Transitions

Bring 3-5 large shapes cut from construction paper.  Cut out a small child and use it to hide under the shapes.  Have a child cover their eyes and then place the child shape under one of the construction paper shapes.  Have the child open their eyes and ask the child to name the shape where they think the paper child is hiding. Continue around the circle until everyone has had a turn. 

Mathematics/Geometry & Spatial Sense; begins to recognize, describe, compare, and name common shapes, their parts and attributes.

Resources