Squares, circles, rectangles, and triangles are the basic math shapes first introduced to students in elementary school. Create a math shape game to investigate other geometrical shapes such as regular and irregular polygons.
The objective of the polygon activity is for students to name math shapes and to ultimately be able to identify polygons. Before the introduction of regular and irregular polygons, it is important for students to investigate the assortment of shapes found in the school area and by deduction group shapes as polygons and non polygons.
Polygon Lesson Plan
Students grab a sketch book and take a walk around the classroom and hallway to sketch different shapes. Students are not allowed to make objects just shapes. As well, the students are only allowed to draw 3 shapes that look the same.
Students will sketch a rectangle for a bulletin board or a circle for a key lock. As well, they may draw a squiggle line to represent the phone cord. It is important for the teacher to model this before the students begin their investigation of basic math shapes.
Prior to students taking a walk, place some different shapes of polygons on the school walls for the students to look at. Polygons are any closed shape with straight edges. A common eight sided polygon, known as the octagon is the stop sign.
After students have returned, have them cut out their shapes and group them. The only rule of classification is it is based on the design of the shape and not the size or colour. Students will work in groups of no more than 10 to do the classification of the shapes.
After the shapes are classified begin a discussion about closed and open shapes. Closed shapes have no openings like a rectangle while open shapes are non definable.
Students must remove all open shapes from their groupings.
For the remaining shapes, have the students divide their piles into shapes with straight edges and non straight edges. A circle has no straight edge but a rectangle has four.
Students must remove all shapes that do not have straight edges. Students will be left only with closed shapes with straight edges. Ask the students if they know what you call closed shapes with straight edges. Polygons are closed shapes with only straight edges.
Polygon Activity
Students are to create different polygons on graph paper using a ruler. Students are allowed to make any polygon based on its two characteristics.
After, students have drawn polygons they must choose their best polygon shape and copy it onto large graph paper. Students will cut out the polygon and place their name on the back of it to be used for another polygon lesson, on the identification of polygons.
Language Arts Mini Lesson
Have a quick lesson on the root words of polygons. Polygon is derived from the Greek poly meaning many, and gonia meaning angle. Teaching students about angles is another lesson.
