Question by emiko: i need preschool lesson plans for shapes can anyone help?
i need to give a lesson to preschoolers on shapes any ideas?
Best answer:
Answer by Kelley
Teaching Shapes Using Read-Alouds, Visualization, and Sketch to Stretch
Author
Deborah Kozdras
Plant City, Florida
Grade Band
K-2
Estimated Lesson Time
Three 50-minute sessions
Overview
This lesson encourages strategic reading and real-world math connections using a variety of techniques. Three interactive read-alouds of winter-themed books guide students through the concepts of shape and pattern. During the read-alouds, students are encouraged to use a visualization strategy to synthesize information. Students then use a version of sketch to stretch, a strategy that teaches them to interpret texts visually, to connect the reading to their world, and to demonstrate their comprehension of the math concepts. In the final session, students apply what they have learned by choosing from a variety of learning center activities.
From Theory to Practice
Moyer, P.S. (2000). Communicating mathematically: Children's literature as a natural connection. The Reading Teacher, 54, 246–255.
Books provide a useful tool for encouraging children to think and talk about math in real-world contexts.
By choosing high-quality, math-related literature, teachers can seamlessly integrate the learning of math concepts and the development of language.
Recognizing, interpreting, and creating patterns are important aspects of developing math skills.
Fisher, D., Flood, J., Lapp, D., & Frey, N. (2004). Interactive read-alouds: Is there a common set of implementation practices? The Reading Teacher, 58, 8–17.
Read-alouds encourage students to read, build their knowledge about specific subjects, improve their vocabulary, and develop their concepts of print and story structure.
There are specific strategies teachers can use to make read-alouds more effective (see Preparation, 1).
Whitin, P. (2002). Leading into literature circles through the use of the sketch-to-stretch strategy. The Reading Teacher, 55, 444–450.
The sketch-to-stretch strategy allows students to demonstrate what they have learned from the read-aloud text and to make text-to-self connections.
Students expand their knowledge by listening to each other and sharing what they have learned.
Student Objectives
Students will
Identify the math concepts of shape and pattern in texts and the real world
Synthesize information from a variety of texts to make their own creations using shapes and patterns
Compare their use of shape and pattern in classroom discussions
Connect with math concepts using reading, writing, art, science, and computers
Resources
Books
Sadie and the Snowman by Allen Morgan (Scholastic, 1987)
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert (Voyager Books, 1999)
There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow by Lucille Colandro (Cartwheel Books, 2003)
Additional Books About Snow
Themed Reviews: Snow, Snowflakes and Snowmen
Classroom resources
Arts and craft materials for making snowman creations (see Preparation, 4)
Make a Shapely Snowman
Visualizing poster
Two- and three-dimensional geometric models
Classroom computers with Internet access
Digital camera (optional)
Websites
Build BlackDog's Snowman
Reading Rainbow: Build a Snowman
Instructional Plan
Preparation
1. Obtain and review copies of Sadie and the Snowman by Allen Morgan, Snowballs by Lois Ehlert, and There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow by Lucille Colandro. According to Fisher, Flood, Lapp, & Frey (2004), there are several steps you can take to prepare for an interactive read-aloud:
Preview the text carefully. Read each text several times, taking note of good places to pause and prompt students to discuss shapes and patterns. Jot down some of these prompts on sticky notes and attach them to the appropriate pages.
Practice reading the story aloud. You want to model fluent reading and to use animation and expression to engage your students. This can involve changing the tone of your voice to denote emotions or using movements or props.
Prepare to discuss the text. Write down some questions you can ask during and after reading. These questions should provide students with the opportunity to share their thoughts, reactions, expectations, or predictions.
Another read-aloud resource that you might review before this lesson is Catching the Bug for Reading Through Interactive Read-Alouds.
2. Familiarize yourself with the sketch-to-stretch strategy and how it has been modified for this lesson. This strategy involves the use of a visual activity, and is used to make students think more deeply about the characters, theme, and story structure. In this case of "reading for information," the strategy has been adapted to discuss shapes and patterns in the real world. The steps you will use in this lesson include:
Reading a story interactively and discussing the shapes and patterns students notice in the story
Encouraging students to look around the classroom for shapes and patterns they see in real-world objects
Having students draw sketches of snowmen in small groups or individually using different shapes and patterns
Asking students to share their sketches in small groups and to talk about their use of shapes and patterns
Another sketch-to-stretch resource that you might review before this lesson is Guided Comprehension: Visualizing Using the Sketch-to-Stretch Strategy.
3. Have two- and three-dimensional models of shapes on hand for the lesson. These can be purchased from a teacher-supply store or created by you. Real-world objects such as balls, food boxes, or cans can be used as well.
4. Prepare large pieces of blue construction paper (if you can't find large sheets of blue paper, tape together smaller sheets) for a background, and white paper shapes for students to create their snowmen creations. Collect a variety of arts and craft materials as well; the book Snowballs by Lois Ehlert provides some great examples. These could include, but are not limited to, buttons; ribbons; shape stickers; colored paper; cutouts from magazines, catalogues, or grocery flyers; objects found in nature such as nuts, seeds, branches, leaves, stones, shells, or dried flowers; twine; fabric scraps; or plastic utensils. Have glue and tape ready as well.
5. Make a copy of Make a Shapely Snowman and the Visualizing poster for each student in the class.
6. Prepare materials for the activity centers you will use in Session 3. You can use any combination of the centers outlined below or create your own that relate to the lesson's theme of shapes and patterns.
Writing Center. Make a blank storyboard for each student following the pattern of There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow. Leave blanks for students to fill in, for example, "There was a cold lady who swallowed a ____." Depending on their skill level, students can fill in the blanks with either words or pictures.
Computer Center. Bookmark Build BlackDog's Snowman and Reading Rainbow: Build a Snowman on the classroom computers.
Math Center. Gather a box of real-world objects for students to sort according to their shape. Household items, such as food cartons, work really well for this activity. Prepare some sorting mats (you might make some in the shape of snowmen) with areas where students can place objects that have matching shapes.
Reading Center. Choose books from Additional Books About Snow and Themed Reviews: Snow, Snowflakes and Snowmen and have them available for students to read. You should also have sticky notes available in this center.
Instruction and Activities
Session 1
Before Reading
1. Activate the students' prior knowledge about making snowmen. Discuss various materials they might use and list the shapes that are usually associated with snowmen. Ask students if there are any patterns involved in making a snowman, for example, big, medium, and small snowballs or patterns on a scarf, a pair of mittens, or a hat. Encourage students to share the patterns on their own hats, mittens, and scarves.
2. Place the geometric shape models and some of the materials you have collected on a table where students can see them. Talk to students about the different shapes, asking them questions such as:
What shapes can be used in making a snowman?
What shapes, other than a sphere, can be used to make the body?
Which shapes could be used for other body parts and accessories?
3. Distribute the Visualizing poster. Explain to students that visualizing is when they create a picture of what they are reading in their heads. It may be helpful to describe this activity as "brain TV." Tell students that as they listen to the story you are about to read, they should close their eyes and create images in their heads as if they were watching a television show.
4. Tell students that while they are listening, they should visualize a snowman of their own creation, using items from the story or items of their choice. Remind them to focus on shape and pattern.
During Reading
5. Read Sadie and the Snowman by Allen Morgan. Use the prompts and questions you have prepared to encourage students to look for the use of shapes and patterns in the story. A good way to do this is to compare the items used for eyes, noses, and mouths in the different snowmen Sadie makes throughout the story.
6. You should also communicate mathematically while you are reading. Discuss the number of items used, label shapes and solids with their math names, and identify patterns. An example of how you might do this is to compare the first and second snowmen. Sadie uses circles (cookies) for eyes in the first and squares (crackers) for eyes in the second.
After Reading
7. Discuss the use of color, lines, shapes, symbols, and patterns in the story, asking students questions such as:
What col
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