IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

The last couple of weeks we have been studying geometry in our class. The beginning of this week we started making 3-D shapes using toothpicks and gum drops, and it was really interesting seeing what the children made. I talked about how 3-D shapes have multiple faces to them but I did not say specifically what each shape was because I wanted to see what the children would come up with on their own.

Today I introduced 3-D foam shapes during our morning choices and then during math workshop I challenged the children to work together to make those shapes out of gum drops and toothpick. We had a wonderful discussion on how hard it was to make a sphere with toothpicks and marshmallows because the toothpicks were so straight, but Isaac came up with using clay to help us make that curved part of the sphere.

Tomorrow we are going to use whatever materials we need to to make the 3-D shapes and then really discuss what the various shapes are so the children can name what they have been making all week!

Scaffolding the geometry experiences and allowing the children to really construct their own learning this way will hopefully make this information that they are learning about geometry and shapes last longer!

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