Mathematical Emphasis

Investigation 1

* Observing, describing, and comparing

2-D shapes

* Developing vocabulary to describe 2-D

shapes

* Grouping shapes according to common

characteristics

* Becoming familiar with the names of

2-D shapes

* Composing & Decomposing shapes

* Noticing relationships between shapes

* Using rotation & reflection to arrange

shapes

* Visualizing & representing 2-D shapes

* Building a pattern by repeating a unit

square

Investigation 2

* Observing, describing, & comparing

3-D shapes

* Creating & using 2-D representations of

of 3-D shapes

* Constructing 3-D shapes from 2-D

faces

Investigation 3

* Observing & describing 3-D shapes

* Creating & using 2-D representations of

3-D shapes

* Building 3-D constructions from 3-D

representations

* Visualizing, describing & comparing

paths between two locations

* Visualizing & describing directions of

turns

Tips for Helping at Home

•

Look for patterns or designs make from differ-

ent shapes. Can you find floor patterns, or

wallpaper patterns made from squares, rec-

tangles, triangles, or other shapes?

•

Take walks with your child to look at the

shapes of buildings in your neighborhood.

•

Look at boxes you have at home. What

shapes are they? How many sides do they

have?

•

Find books on shapes in the children’s section

of the public library. Read them with your

child.

The Shape of Things

by Dayle Ann Dodds

Shapes, Shapes, Shapes

by

Tana Hoban

2-D and 2-D Geometry

How to help when your student gets

stuck. . .

•

What do you need to find out?

Student should be specific.

•

What information do you have?

•

What strategies are you going to

use?

•

Does that make sense?

•

How do you know?

•

How did you get answer?

•

Does your answer seem reasonable?

•

What else is there to do?

Quilt Squares

Block Towns

Websites

http://cms.everett.K12.wa.us/math

http:/mathforum.org/students/

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/buzz/buz

z.html

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Naming and Describing Shapes

Your student will have their own infor-

mal ways of naming and describing

the shapes they encounter.

You can use the correct names so

that your student hears the terms, but

you don’t need to insist that they use

them. It is more important to focus on

describing and comparing these

shapes.

See your teacher for the password

unit.

http://investigations.scottforesman.com

/qs_shapes.html

Vocabulary

•

polygons—simple closed shapes

with straight sides.

•

non-polygons—shapes with curved

sides.

•

prisms—3-D shapes that have two

congruent faces

•

pyramid—3-D

shape with

polygon as its

base.

Game

Mystery Footprints

You will need paper, pencil

and several items from

around the house to trace

around,

1. Use a new sheet of

paper for each object

to trace

2. Use a pencil, crayon,

or marker.

3. Trace around each

object.

Trace several objects

from around the

house.

5. Have your family

members guess what

the object is.

Online Glossary

http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/

Russell, Susan Jo. Investigations in Number, Data, and

Space: Quilt Squares and Block Towns. Dale Seymour,

1998.