Guess My Shape! {Attributes Freebie!!}

Hi there! My name is Erin and I blog over {here} at Little Miss Primary. 

You can also find me (newly) on Instagram: 

@littlemissprimary

I am SO excited to be a part of TBR and will be sharing ideas, activities, and other fun stuff on the 16th of each month! My heart is with the primary kiddos (K-2ish), so most of what I will post will be geared towards that level--though I am a firm believer in differentiation and adapting ideas to fit the needs of my kids! Hopefully you'll be able to do some of that, too. 

:)

Right now, I'm working full-time on my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction. I really miss being in my own classroom, but I am so thankful for all that I am learning--education is a gift (I had to remind myself of that over and over again during finals!!). Most of my teaching experience is at the first grade level, but I've also taught second and a third grade math pull-out. 

A bit about me: 

I was born and raised in the Lone Star State.

I love red polka dots, sunshine, and all things colorful.

I'm a bit of a math nerd.

I looove children's literature--Loreen Leedy stopped by my blog yesterday and I just about fell out of my chair (!!!!).

...

Okay, that's enough about me! Today I want to share with you a really simple but powerful activity. It is a great way to formatively assess your kiddos and will also get them thinking!

I recently attended the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference in Denver, Colorado, and a lady from one of the sessions briefly shared a similar idea. I cannot remember her name at all, but know that she is a first grade teacher from Florida--she was just as sweet as could be (if "she" is you, please let me know! You deserve credit!!)!

I'm calling the activity Guess My Shape! 

In essence, your kiddos will draw a shape from a paper bag and use attributes of the shape to describe it. They can also use real-world examples, too! The purpose is to describe the shape so well that a partner can guess it correctly.

For this activity, you'll need:

Fold a piece of construction paper in half--hamburger style. A lined paragraph is glued on the front of the paper, and a single lined strip is glued on the inside. After pulling a shape from the paper bag, students will glue it on the inside (without showing their partner/small group!!).

Your kiddos will then describe the shape on the outside--attributes, real-world examples, etc. 

This is where you will get a chance to assess your students' understanding! 

Did they use attributes as well as real-world objects? 

Are their examples accurate?

How detailed was the student's description?

Is there evidence of confusion?

etc.

salty cracker = saltine cracker :)

The inside of the construction paper will have the shape and the name! In partners or small groups, students share their descriptions and the classmates try to guess the shape.

You could also use the idea with place value!

Have students draw numbers from a bag and describe the digits--the number in the tens place is more than five...my number is an even number...etc.

See? Super simple. 

No crazy materials needed and it can be adapted for so many levels (think 3D shapes!).

Want to use this in your own classroom??

Download the activity packet FOR FREE by clicking on the picture!

I love free stuff. Don't you?! 

:)

Thank y'all so much for stopping by TBR today! I'm grateful for a chance to share with you and am excited for what my co-authors have in store for the rest of the month! I loved Jennie's {post} yesterday about the end of the school year and was so excited to read about one of my favorite books, Measuring Penny, in a {post} by Sara! 

If you get a chance to use this activity or am able adapt it to fit your own needs, please share! We love hearing your ideas!! Keep checking in for great ideas from all over teacher blog land, and please stop by my blog and say hello (just click the button below)! 

Happy Thursday, y'all!