Use a School Readiness Activity to provide early mathematics thinking experiences for preschool children that will prepare them to do well in the early grades.
Grades:
Subjects:
+ show tags
Type:
Download

Am I a Circle, Square, Triangle, or Rectangle?

Purpose/Skills

  • To identify circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles
  • To be able to talk about shapes

Materials
Plastic or cardboard circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles placed in a bag

Literature Suggestion
Read Little Cloud by Eric Carle. Help children notice that the cloud shapes in the book are NOT circles, squares, rectangles, or triangles. Have them look for circles, triangles, squares, and rectangles in this and other books.

Vocabulary
shapes squares
circles     alike
different compare
triangles

Warm-Up
Shake the shapes out of the bag. Review shapes with children. Teach them this "Shape Chant:"
      I am a square, four sides are the same.(Four fingers up)
      I am a rectangle, two short sides are the same.(Two fingers on one hand up)
      Two long sides are the same. (Two fingers on other hand up)
      I am a circle, I go round and round. (Arms around in a circle)
      I have three sides and triangle is my name! (Arms up, fingers touch to form a triangle)

Procedure

  • Put all of the shapes back into the bag. Model putting your hand in the bag, selecting one shape, and describing it. For example, "I feel a shape that has three sides. It must be a triangle!"
  • Invite children to take turns putting their hand in, selecting, describing, and naming a shape. Encourage applause after each correct response.
  • After all children have had a turn, tell them that they have been comparing shapes. "What is comparing?" (See how the shapes are alike and different.) Ask comprehension questions such as, "How are the triangle and rectangle the same?" (Both have sides and corners.) "How are the triangle and rectangle different?" (Rectangle has 4 sides and corners; triangle has only 3.)
Enrichment
  • Provide different sizes and colors of paper shapes at a center.
  • Invite children to make shape designs by gluing down shapes of different sizes and colors.
  • Some children may enjoy tracing around shapes with color crayons to make their designs.

Observation Assessment

  • Proficient - Child can identify circles, squares, triangles, and rectangless and can name the number of sides and corners.
  • In Process - Child can identify at least two of the shapes.
  • Not Yet Ready - Child can sometimes identify one or two shapes, but performance is inconsistent.

Featured Pre-K Resources

How Many Bears on the Bed? Pre-K Math Lesson Plan

LESSON PLANS

How Many Bears on the Bed? Lesson Plan & Printable

Get ready to count bears and build math skills with this engaging lesson plan and printable for Pre-K, perfect for littl...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER
Taller or Shorter? Comparing Heights in Pre-K Math Lesson Plan

LESSON PLANS

Taller or Shorter? Comparing Heights Pre-K Lesson Plan

Dive into the world of height comparisons with this engaging Pre-K lesson plan that makes learning about 'taller' and 's...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER
How Many Eggs Are in the Nest? Counting Pre-K Lesson Plan Printable

LESSON PLANS

How Many Eggs Are in the Nests? Lesson Plan & Printable

Get your little ones counting with this egg-citing lesson plan and printable for preschoolers! This engaging activity...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

Related Resources

BOOK GUIDES

Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book

by Muriel L.

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

ACTIVITIES

How Many Pennies Do You Hear?

How Many Pennies Do You Hear?Purpose/Skills To listen for and count sounds (or other things such as people or flashes of...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

TEACHING RESOURCE

Building Math Skills -- Grades K - 1

Building Math SkillsKindergarten to Grade 1 Tips for ParentsCut out cardboard squares, triangles, and circles (five of e...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

ACTIVITIES

How Many Bears on the Bed?

How Many Bears on the Bed?Purpose/Skills To solve problems using 1, 2, and 3 objects.

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

ACTIVITIES

How Many Children Are Wearing Red Today?

How Many Children Are Wearing Red Today?Purpose/Skills To experience the concept of larger quantities To sort children i...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

ACTIVITIES

How Many Eggs Are in the Nests?

How Many Eggs Are in the Nests?Purpose/Skills To use manipulatives to show quantities of 1, 2, and 3 To count to 3; to s...

Add to Folder
creative writing
children's book
activities
classroom tools
language arts and writing
vocabulary
Create new folderCREATE NEW FOLDER

About the author

TeacherVision Staff

TeacherVision Editorial Staff

The TeacherVision editorial team is comprised of teachers, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the teaching space.

loading gif