Exploratorium
Exploring Pattern Blocks
Here's a great lesson plan that uses one of the best manipulatives there is: pattern blocks. Elementary schoolers must fill in a variety of shapes using specific amounts of pattern blocks. This forces them to do some spatial mathematical...
Curated OER
Angle Exploration and Classification
Students compare and contrast angles and identify them as acute, obtuse, right, or straight angles. They create rays and angles using uncooked spaghetti, read and discuss key vocabulary terms, and complete a variety of geometry worksheets.
Curated OER
The Quirky Quadrilateral
Fourth graders identify and classify different triangles and quadrilaterals. Then they demonstrate an understanding of plane and solid geometric objects and use this knowledge to show relationships and solve specific problems. Students...
Curated OER
"Sir Cumference and the First Round Table" by Cindy Neuschwander
Students analyze characteristics of various 2 dimensional shapes and explore their properties and use various vocabulary terms to discuss geometric relationships.
Curated OER
"The Greedy Triangle" by Marilyn Burns
Pupils discover which regular polygons can be used to tile a plane.
Think Map
Know Your Polygons!
Shape shifters recognize characteristics of polygons. Embracing language arts skills in addition to math, they use a thesaurus to pinpoint specific attributes of a set of polygons. They also participate in a 21-question guessing game...
Curated OER
Exploring Area and Perimeter
Two students are blindfolded and each receives a cardboard square, one with pompoms glued around the edge and one with pompoms glued all over the surface. They identify what they feel. The class discusses perimeter and area of polygons....
Curated OER
Pattern Block Fractions
Fourth graders participate in a lesson plan that is about the finding of different fractional sizes with the help of pattern blocks. They define the vocabulary terms of numerator and denominator. The lesson plan also uses geometry and...
Curated OER
Polygon Quilt
Students participate in a game with different types of polygons. They use triangles to create as many polygons as possible. They also review their colors by having different polygons be a different color.
Curated OER
Area of Tangram Pieces
Mathematicians calculate the area of a tangram piece without using formulas. They use a geometry journal to record activities during this lesson plan. They make a set of tangrams and use them to compute area. They use what they discover...
NASA
Pop! Rockets
Off they go — launching rockets is fun. The lesson plan contains templates to build paper rockets that can be launched from a PVC pipe launcher. Individuals or groups build the rockets and determine the shapes for their fins. Included...
Improving Measurement and Geometry in Elementary Schools
Rep Tiles
In addition to the catchy title, this lesson plan provides upper graders an opportunity to more closely scrutinize the attributes of plane figures. In particular, they focus on the similarity of different shapes. Both whole-class and...
Curated OER
Marshmallow Figures
Learners enjoy making 3-D figures while learning about rectangular prisms, pyramids, vertices, edges, and faces. After a lecture/demo, students use marshmallows, toothpicks and a worksheet imbedded in this instructional activity to...
Curated OER
It's a 3-D World Out There!
Students construct polygons. They identify attributes of three-dimensional shapes. Students name common three-dimensional shapes. They draw three-dimensional shapes, and sort three-dimensional shapes. Students use K'NEX materials sets to...
Curated OER
Twenty Questions: Fourth Grade Math Terms
Questions related to math vocabulary from a large variety of categories for 4th graders are displayed throughout this Jeopardy game. Concepts covered include angles, shapes, computation terms, statistics, and place value.
Curated OER
Ovals, Rectangles, Squares, and Triangles
Students identify geometrical shapes displayed in photographs of everyday objects in a metropolitan setting.
Curated OER
Polygon Perimeters
Students define the terms polygon and perimeter to begin the lesson. Using a calculator, they practice determining the perimeter of various symbols in a painting. They discuss how geometry and art are related to one another.
Curated OER
Polygon Perimeters
Students complete worksheets where they calculate the perimeter of polygons. For this perimeter of polygons lesson plan, students divide complex shapes into simple shapes to find the perimeter.
Curated OER
Stained Glass Polygons
Students follow directions to make a stained glass window design of regular and irregular polygons with specific geometric elements. In this geometry lesson plan, students also analyze other classmate's designs.
Curated OER
Draw 3 Dimensional Objects
Bring three-dimensional shapes to life in your classroom. First introduce the vocabulary of three-dimensional shapes, such as sphere, cube, and pyramid. Then, show your kids examples of how to use two-dimensional objects draw...
Curated OER
Cut - Stretch - Fold
Students work on determining the area of a tangram piece without using a formula by working with geoboards, graph paper, and tangram pieces. After completing the activity, they apply their experience to determining a formula for finding...
Improving Measurement and Geometry in Elementary Schools
The Sum of the Interior Angles of a Polygon
Junior geometers discover that polygons can be decomposed into triangles and that the number of triangles can be determined by a rule. Note that the Geometer’s Sketchpad® software is required to carry out all components of this lesson.
Curated OER
Slides, Flips. Turns......It's All On A Memory Book Page
Fourth graders use tangram sets to investigate the congruence of shapes. They use congruent shapes to demonstrate the properties of slides, flips, and turns. They complete a math journal entry that describes and illustrates each concept.
Curated OER
Graph Paper Patterns
Young artists divide a piece of graph paper into sections using rectangles, squares, and triangles. They then fill each section with patterns of shape and color. Elementary graders describe how their patterns are organized. Secondary...