Hi friends! Once school is back in session and the students have started to fall into the routines, we start teaching the year’s basic skills and concepts. I hope you found the recent Back to School 🍎 posts helpful as you start back in your classrooms or in front of your screens. If you haven’t yet read them, check them out HERE & HERE. This week, I’m continuing to chat about basic skills and activities that will help your students acquire the knowledge needed to be successful. I’m diving into geometry basics and resources that will help you plan your lessons that will engage your students in fun learning!
As all teachers know, math skills are built upon previous learned concepts. In the planning for back to school post, I talked about how we want to review concepts and skills that students should have learned the previous year. This is especially important since last school year probably consisted of virtual learning and most students might not have grasped all the skills needed for this school year.
Geometry Basics
Geometry has some basic concepts for primary students. Here are a few:
- Points: Small dots put on paper
- Curves: Path that connects two points that is smooth, not straight
- Lines: Sides of geometric figures or number lines
- Angles: The space that is created by two straight lines that meet
- Congruency: Sameness of shape and size
- Symmetry: Correspondence of parts of a figure on opposite sides of a line or post
It’s important to use geometry vocabulary even with young students. Introducing them to concept vocabulary, even if they are not ready for a clear understanding of it, helps them become familiar with the terminology.
Teaching Geometry with Digital Resources
“Don’t put away those digital products just yet!” You’ve probably read this from one of my blog or social media posts. I can’t stress it enough. I’ve already heard from many teachers in the Savvy Apple Community that they are switching to virtual learning either temporarily for a week or for the next month or longer. Keep your files organized just in case this happens to you. Also, keep them handy because students really don’t want to give up this type of learning.
Digital resources can also be used to extend learning and used in your math centers. They can also help you individualize learning. Read more about that HERE. Some of my most popular geometry resources are bundles that incorporate more than one concept. By purchasing a bundle, you save money and have activities that address many weeks of lessons. 😊 Here are a few of the most popular ones in this community. Click on each image to read more about them.
Master Geometry in 2nd Grade with these 3 Comprehensive Google Slides resources. This 3-UNIT BUNDLE includes 295+ fun and interactive digital task cards in Google Slides format. These also align with all Common Core 2nd Grade Standards for Geometry. These resources are FUN and ENGAGING and come with interactive task cards with movable pieces and text boxes, Common Core-aligned learning goals, anchor charts, and several example pages/mini-lessons to build understanding.
1st Grade Geometry
Next, this 3-UNIT BUNDLE includes 345+ fun and interactive digital task cards in Google Slides format that align with all Common Core 1st Grade Standards for Geometry. Assign these Google Slides activities in your Google Classroom for distance learning. You can alao use them at home with your kids, or enjoy them in class for centers, lessons, review, or individual practice.
2nd Grade Geometry
What are Shape Attributes, a 2D Shape? What are 3D Shapes Properties? Learn everything you need to know about 2D and 3D Shapes with these Google Slides interactive task cards.
Now, here are a few activities to help you teach geometry concepts while students have fun learning.
Geometry Learning Tips
🍏 Don’t forget to use anchor charts around your classroom in easy to read areas for student viewing.
🍏 Make geometry fun by letting students use popsicle or craft sticks to make a shape collage.
🍎 Don’t forget about simple manipulatives such as pattern blocks.
🍏 Use songs or poems about shapes to help students memorize their characteristics.
🍎 Students can compare and compose shapes with tangrams.
🍏 Geoboards are a lot of fun for students to use with rubber bands to practice forming shapes.
🍎 Magnetic building tiles can be used to form 3D shapes.
I love to send students on scavenger hunts for shapes either in the classroom or outdoors. You can easily make scavenger hunt sheets with names or images of shapes for students to find. I also like to supply students with cheap clipboards that I pick up from dollar $ stores.
What activities do you like to use with your students to teach geometry concepts? Comment below with your favorite activities. 👇
I hope this post inspires you to offer your students some creative ways to learn geometry concepts. I also hope you are having a great start to your new school year.
Have a great week!
Jess