Every other Wednesday, we post selections from our vast archive of Early Math & Early Childhood Ed activities.
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This week in Activities we’re looking at shapes and angles and learning about the very, very important skill of listening. Plus a bonus video! Let’s get to it!
FROM MATHSTART
Mathstart is a series of 63 storybooks organized into three levels for Pre-K through Grade 4. Each story teaches a different mathematical skill.
• Level 1, Pre-K/Kindergarten
Circus Shapes (recognizing shapes): First the elephants form a circle, then the monkeys make a square. Circus shapes are everywhere! Can you find all the circles, squares, triangles and rectangles?
Recognizing shapes is the beginning of geometric thinking. Activity Sheet PDF
Level 2, Grades 1—2
Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes (3-dimensional shapes): Sam—a.k.a. "Captain Invincible"—and his trusty space pooch Comet have their hands and paws full trying to navigate through the universe.
Meteor showers, flying saucers, and a "galactic beast" are some of the dangers lurking among the stars.
They have to push the right button—the cube, pyramid, cylinder, cone, sphere or rectangular prism—in order to land safely in…Sam's bedroom!
Recognizing and classifying three-dimensional shapes is an important part of geometry. Activity Sheet PDF
Level 3, Grades 2—4
Hamster Champs (angles): The car drives away and suddenly it’s just Hector the cat and three clever hamsters: Pipsqueak, Chuckles and Moe. The hamster champs offer to show Hector their new stunt, which requires they leave the safety of their cage, but only if Hector promises not to chase them. “All right,” he says, “But if I get bored…watch out!” Using a protractor to measure a 30-degree angle, the hamsters set up a ramp made out of a board supported by blocks. Then they get in a toy car, parked on the couch, and race down another ramp—this one made of pillows—which gives them enough speed to climb up the board and briefly fly in the air. Wheee! Hector’s not impressed. So they try again with a 45-degree angle. Then a 60-degree angle, but it's too steep. Hector’s getting bored! He wants a larger angle. Guess what happens when the champs try a 180-degree angle?
Learning about angles helps children identify and describe different geometric shapes. Activity Sheet PDF
Where to find Mathstart books
FROM I SEE I LEARN
I See I Learn is a series of 16 stories that follow the adventures of the children in Miss Cathy’s class at Ready, Set Pre-K in See-and-Learn City. Each story focuses on a different social, emotional, health & safety and cognitive skill important for success in school and in life. For Pre-K / Kindergarten.
Percy Listens Up (social skill: listening): Percy loves to play. Sometimes this means that he forgets to listen to his teachers or his mommy. He misses out on fun in school and at the pool. But see what always makes Percy listen!
Listening shows respect for what other people have to say. Careful listening helps children understand directions, learn new things, be safe, and have more fun.
Listen up, everyone!
Where to find I See I Learn books
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