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Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Recall attributes of different shapes after reading A Trapezoid Is NOT a Dinosaur! or Big Box of Shapes (Basic Concepts).
• Identify shapes within the classroom based on a shape’s attributes while on a scavenger hunt.
• Describe the similarities and differences in attributes of two-dimensional shapes.
• Model different shapes when creating shape creature puppets.
• Script and perform a puppet show recalling each shape’s attributes.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

Digital Books

Videos

• Find Your Character Voice with Alan Bomar Jones

Additional Materials

• scissors (or pre-cut shapes)
• coloring utensils
• glue
• jumbo craft sticks

Teacher Background

Teachers should be able to differentiate the shapes used in this lesson and in the book A Trapezoid Is NOT a Dinosaur!, then align them with the grade level band. 

Student Prerequisites 

Students should be familiar with shapes and know the difference between straight or curved lines.

Accessibility Notes

Modifications can be made by utilizing larger shapes, large grid paper, and/or templates for tracing shapes. Increase scale or use solid (pre-cut) shapes to support vision impairments. Provide one-to-one aide assistance and adaptive scissors as needed. Preferential seating for visual presentations is also recommended.

Engage

1. Activate students’ knowledge of two-dimensional shapes with the . Ask students what they notice and wonder when observing the images of shapes. 

2. As a class, read the book by Suzanne Morris (for more advanced geometric shapes) or by Wiley Blevins (for more basic geometric shapes) in order to identify attributes of different shapes. If you do not have access to the books in your school library, use the linked read aloud videos on the preparation page or use your favorite shape book instead.

3. Participate in a classroom scavenger hunt for shapes. If students need scaffolding for this, take time to explore shapes in real life or play the . Allow time for students to investigate objects and shapes in the classroom.

4. Share shape objects with the class. Have students share the object, describe the attributes, and name the shape by stepping into the shoes of the object and speaking in first person. 

Students can use the following sentence starters:
“Hi! I'm a ______.”

“I have ______ sides and ______.”

“My friends call me ______!”

Example: “Hi, I'm a blue folder. I have four straight sides and four corners/angles. My friends call me Rectangle!”

Build

1. Review the attributes and artistic visuals of shapes with the .

2. Draw a t-chart on chart paper or an interactive board. Label the left side “Different” and the right side “Same.” Have students list similarities and differences between two shapes, using a personification technique. Students will speak as if they are the shape when listing similarities and differences. For example, two students may compare a square and rectangle by making statements like, “I’m a square and I have 4 straight sides that are the same length.” “I’m a rectangle and I also have 4 straight sides, but two sides are longer than the others.”

Apply

1. Create shape creature puppets. Choose a template based on the grade level band or background knowledge (, , and/or ) and distribute the shape templates. Provide students with shape templates, scissors (unless pre-cut), coloring utensils, glue, and jumbo craft sticks. Model how to make a shape creature puppet by cutting out the shapes, gluing them to craft sticks, and decorating. Puppets should have their own character traits like wild, goofy, crazy, exotic, etc.

2. Decorate and set up shape creature puppet. Allow time for students to use a variety of shapes before giving their puppets a name and voice.

3. Tell students to give their shape creature a personality to match its character traits. The shape creature should already have a name, but it should also have a voice that it uses when it speaks. Voice intonations can include deep, high-pitched, fast, slow, loud, quiet, etc. For example, a “serious” square can have a deep and slow voice. Show the Teaching Artists Present video, Find Your Character Voice with Alan Bomar Jones, to discover how voice-over actors transform into different characters. 

4. Model for students how to become a puppeteer with their shape creatures. Students will introduce their puppet, which shapes made up their creature, and describe 3-5 attributes, while also including the shape’s voice to give their shape creature personality. Teachers can optionally use to support students when creating their scripts or prompt them with questions to learn about their puppets attributes.

Reflect 

1. Perform a puppet show for an audience. Students can be broken into groups to take turns performing their puppet shows for the rest of the class or invite family members/friends to attend.

2. Engage students in a reflection. Ask: What is your favorite shape and why? What are the different attributes of shapes? How did being a puppeteer help you understand shapes?