Shapes+Learning+Unit


 * Kindergarten - Math**
 * Geometry and Spatial Sense: //Identify and sort two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects. For example: Identify and describe two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects from the environment using the child's own vocabulary.//**

Students will be using the following technology tools to learn about shapes and explore shapes in their environment. First students will use the brainstorming tool **Google Forms** to participate in a survey about shapes. I will select 4 shapes from our Everyday Math manipulative kit to use for this activity. I will create a 4 question, multiple choice survey for students to complete with teacher assistance during center time. Each student will come up to the computer, look at each shape and with help (teacher reading the answers to student) will select an answer for each question. Following this activity, I can view our class results in the corresponding spreadsheet to assess how well students know shapes and target further instruction from there.

Next students will use creation tools to continue exploring shapes. First students will create a guessing game to help each other learn about shapes using a Podcast on **Voicethread.** Students will each pick a shape to describe. We will put a picture of a question mark on our voicethread so that our real shape stays hidden. Students will take turns recording their podcast during centers by reading their clues into a microphone. We will use this activity later in the day in our math lesson once all of the Podcasts are complete.

While at centers, students will also have the opportunity to use the drawing tool **Tux Paint** to create a shape picture. They can either draw a picture of a simple shape or draw a picture of a real-life object (example: a house) that is made of many shapes. Our 5th grade buddies will help students print the screen when finished and save it into Paint so that we can publish our images later by inserting them into a Google Document.

The last project we would do for this unit would be to create a 30-second video on **Animoto** as a class to showcase shape pictures and text about shapes. Students would work with friends at their table to come up with describing words about shapes. I would have students orally participate while I help organize the pictures and info for each group's video. When we finish, we would watch these videos as a class so that students can review shapes and see other groups' ideas that they contributed.

Students would publish their completed work on their own student blog so that their parents can view their work and so can other students. Click here to view a sample.

Click here to see our Google Forms brainstorming tool.

Click here to listen to a student's sample Podcast using Voicethread

Click here to see a student sample of a Tux Paint shape drawing

Click here to see our class video slideshow on Animoto

Student's completed projects from this Shape Unit will be graded using the following rubric.