Read “Pick a Circle, Gather Squares”

Part of the "Fall into Healthy Shapes" Collection

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Goal

Students will listen to a book about shapes, create a posters, and order shapes by amount of sides.

Estimated Time

N/A

Setting Required

Inside

Standards

  • GPS.MCC.K.G.1. Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind.
  • GPS.MCC.K.G.2. Correctly name shapes regardless of orientations or overall size.

Materials

  • Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Fall Shapes by Felicia Sanzari
    (Above photo from illustrator Susan Swan)
  • 8.5×11 copy paper (10 sheets)
  • Markers (1 set)

Procedures

  1. Read aloud Pick a Circle, Gather Squares: A Fall Harvest of Fall Shapes by Felicia Sanzari.
  2. As you read the first four pages of text, invite students to demonstrate the actions: Apple crisp October day. Say “munch, munch, munch, munch” in the rhythm of the text while pretending to bite down on an apple in your hand.
    Daddy says, We’re on our way.
    Say “here we go” in the rhythm of the text while swinging arms as if you’re walking.
    Here we are, the pumpkin farm!     Next we’ll travel arm in arm.
    When you say “arm in arm” put one hand on each hip. On our hayride to the patch while we bump along we’ll match different shapes to what we see. Will you harvest them with me? 
    When you say “bump” pretend to bump along in your seat.
    When you say “see” point to your eyes.
    When you ask the final question, shrug your shoulders.
  3. As you read the remainder of the book, create posters for each shape (on 8.5×11 pieces of paper) with the name of the shape and quick sketches of the examples from the book.
    Shapes
    Circle – sun, apple, pumpkin, balloons, wheel, etc.
    Square – sign, bale of hay, tractor, etc.
    Oval – squash, corn, eggs, etc.
    Rectangle – box, window, barn door, etc.
    Diamond – kite, scarecrow eye, etc.
    Hexagon – honeycomb, chicken wire, etc.
    Triangle – wedge of pie, lamp shade, napkin, bunting, etc.
    Heart – heart, etc.
    Star – star, top of a tomato, middle of an apple, etc.*A cube is mentioned on the same page as the square but it is recommended that the focus remains on the square face of the cube to retain consistency with the two-dimensional shapes through the book.
  4. When you have finished reading the book and creating the shape posters, ask students to help you order the posters from the most amount of sides to the least amount of sides. As they work together to determine the appropriate order, ask leading questions to guide understanding: Order
    Star
    Sample Leading Questions:
    How many points does a star have?
    How many straight sides does a star have?
    Are real stars really star-shaped?
    Hexagon
    Sample Leading Questions:
    How many straight sides does a hexagon have?
    Hex – is a prefix that means “six”, and -agon means “shape.”
    If an OCTopus is an animal with eight legs what do you think a shape with eight sides is called?
    Square / Rectangle / Diamond
    Sample Leading Questions:
    How many straight sides do a square, rectangle, and diamond have?
    What do a square, rectangle, and diamond have in common?
    How are a square, rectangle, and diamond different?
    Triangle
    Sample Leading Questions:
    How many straight sides does a triangle have?
    If a TRIcycle is a cycle with 3 wheels, what do you think the word “triangle” means?
    Circle / Oval
    Sample Leading Questions:
    How many straight sides does a circle or oval have?
    What does a circle and oval have in common?
    How are a circle and an oval different?
    Heart
    Sample Leading Questions:
    How many straight sides does a heart have?
    Are real hearts really heart-shaped?