We have been spending a lot of time over the past few weeks talking about geometric shapes. We have covered two dimensional shapes including parallelogram, rhombus, trapezoid, and hexagon . We have practiced patterns using parallelogram, rhombus, trapezoid, and hexagon during our calendar time each day and the students are grasping the different names and characteristics of each one!
More recently we have added three
dimensional shapes.
We looked at different examples of cubes, cylinders, and spheres in our classroom. We brainstormed the different places that we see this in our day to day life. The students recognized that cubes come in the form of ice cubes, sugar cubes, and boxes and that cylinders make up our trash cans, soda cans, and food cans! I think spheres were their favorites because they roll! They recognized that the earth, various kinds of balls, and the sun are all spheres.
After we identified the characteristics of each geometric shape, we did a sorting activity on the smart board where the children had to move the different objects into the categories of sphere, cube, and cylinder.
To finish out our unit, we did a very fun munchie math activity! We made our very own geometric cubes, rectangular prisms, and pyramids. This was a great way for us to discuss the difference between two dimensional and three dimensional figures. We had used a lot of pictures of three dimensional objects and this activity gave us some hands on experience with them. It was also a great way for students to practice spatial awareness by having to figure out where things needed to go to make the different shapes.
Friday we had the chance to do a little b of community service. One of our student's has an uncle who is in the Marines in California. He works on Osprey's. The students mom explained that several of the soldiers don't get any mail and they are lonely. We were able to make yummy treats and cards to send to them. We also learned a little bit about what their job is and what they have to do in the Marines. 
