Unit 3, Lesson 15
Animal Shape Stamp Art (Optional)
Kindergarten
Preparation
Lesson Narrative
This lesson is optional because it does not address any new mathematical content standards. This lesson does provide students with an opportunity to apply precursor skills of mathematical modeling (MP4).
In previous lessons, students put together shapes to form larger shapes. In this lesson, students think about where they see shapes in the world around them as they use stamps to create animals out of shapes. Students ask mathematical questions about the animals and practice using names of shapes, numbers, and positional words to describe things in their world.
If there is additional time, students can participate in centers from the unit.
- Action and Expression
- MLR7
- Create objects composed of smaller shapes and describe them (orally), using the names of the shapes and the words “more” and “fewer.”
- Let’s make animals out of shapes.
Required Materials
Activity 1
Required Preparation
- Cut, fold, and tape cardstock to make shape stamps. Have each group of 4 students make at least 2 circles of different sizes, 2 different kinds of triangles, 2 squares of different sizes, and 2 different kinds of rectangles.
- Pour paint onto plates for each group of 4 students.
Suggested Centers
NoneModify the Activity Synthesis of the Warm-up by engaging students in a discussion of ways the natural world constantly cycles—that is, things change, and then change back, again and again, like the seasons of the year. Challenge students to guess where they think the animals in the picture live. (Africa) Explain that in much of Africa, there are only two seasons: rainy and dry. Ask:
- “How many of each kind of animal do you see?” (one elephant, two ostriches, six antelopes, and one giraffe)
- “What do you think it’s like during the dry season?” (hot, no rain, dried-up rivers and lakes, dead grass)
- “What do you think it’s like during the rainy season?” (heavy rain, cool weather, flooding, green grass)
- “Do you think the photograph was taken during the dry season or the rainy season? Why do you think so?” (The dry season, because it looks like the animals are standing in the middle of a dried-up lake. I see shadows, so the sun is shining. It’s not raining.)
Environmental Principles & Concepts
Teacher Reflection Questions
What language did you hear students use to describe shapes in this lesson? How has the language that students use progressed since the beginning of the unit?