Shapes and Patterns with Phillip Martin
Lesson Plan
Learner Outcomes:
................................................................ ...................................................
Shape:
Identify and use different shapes
Identify and select unrelated shapes and create new shapes out of them
Use repetition of shape to show rhythm
Use shapes to draw the world around them
Space:
Understand the significance of a baseline
Materials:
Hundreds of one and a half inch squares of paper
25 sheet of 9" x 12" construction paper
crayons or colored pencils
Glue and glue containers
Scissors
Vocabulary:
Shapes, Repetition, Rhythm, Pattern, Baseline
   

Begin by asking the students the shapes that they know. They will suggest circle, square, triangle and rectangle (in addition to a few others). Focus on these four that are easier to work with. Then, ask how they could make a chair using the shapes. Try it at the chalkboard and then try it on the floor in a circle. Allow several students at a time to make shapes and see if the others can guess them. Finally ask what could be done that might make it easier to guess the object - coloring. (That will be on the following week.)

About halfway through the period, introduce the concept of rhythm. They may know this from music class. Clap out a few rhythm movements as a group. Then, tell how shapes also form patterns or rhythm. Have the students form their own patterns with the shapes and then try to clap them.

On the second week, the children will first plan an object and color it.

Helpful hint: Although it would make sense to color the background for the object before any gluing takes place, it doesn't work that way with this age group. After they create their design, they need to glue it and then color. Before any paper is glued, demonstrate proper gluing techniques. Dab one tiny dot on a finger and then rub it on the back of the cut out piece.

Copyright 2000, revised 2012 by Phillip Martin All rights reserved.