Objective:

Students will identify and classify 2D and 3D shapes in their environment, describe the relative positions of these objects, and abstract real-world items into geometric shapes. Through this activity, they will develop skills in spatial reasoning and computational thinking by organizing and analyzing the shapes and their properties.

Materials Needed:

• Classroom or outdoor objects (e.g., books, balls, blocks)

• Chart paper or whiteboard for recording shapes

• Markers for writing

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by asking, "What shapes do we see in the classroom?" Explain the difference between 2D shapes (flat) and 3D shapes (solid). 

  • Show students examples like a book (rectangle), a ball (sphere), or a block (cube). 

  • Discuss how we use positional words like "beside," "in front of," and "behind" to describe where objects are located.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into small groups and lead them on a shape scavenger hunt around the classroom or outdoor area. 

  • Each group will search for objects that match specific shapes, such as squares, circles, or cylinders. 

  • As they find objects, they will describe the shape and its relative position, for example, "The circle is next to the triangle," or "The cube is behind the cone."

• Drawing and Recording:

  • Once the students have completed the scavenger hunt, they will draw pictures of the objects they found and label them with their shape names. 

  • They will also write sentences describing the position of the objects, using terms like "above," "below," or "beside." 

  • For example, "The ball is beside the block, and the book is in front of the chair."

• Testing and Refining:

  • Have students review their drawings and descriptions to ensure they correctly named the shapes and used the right positional terms. 

  • Allow time for any revisions or additions as needed.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present their findings, showing the shapes they found and explaining where they found them in relation to other objects. 

  • Lead a discussion on the differences between 2D and 3D shapes, encouraging students to reflect on how shapes are part of everyday objects.

Equity and Access:

Provide a variety of objects that are easily recognizable and accessible for all students. Encourage peer collaboration, ensuring all students participate in identifying shapes and describing their positions.

Real-World Application:

Relate the activity to everyday tasks like recognizing shapes in buildings, toys, or food. Explain how understanding shapes and spatial relationships helps us describe and interact with the world around us.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students identify and classify objects in the environment by their shape and describe their relative positions using spatial language.

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students abstract real-world objects into shapes and organize them by properties such as position and dimension.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS Mathematics K.G.1

• CA CCSS Mathematics K.G.2

• CA CCSS Mathematics K.G.3

Objective:

Students will identify and describe shapes (e.g., squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, cubes, cones, cylinders, spheres) using Scratch Jr. Through this activity, they will learn to describe objects in their environment using shape names, describe the relative positions of objects, and differentiate between two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) shapes.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers with Scratch Jr. installed

• Digital shapes (e.g., squares, circles, cubes) available in Scratch Jr.

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by asking, "What shapes do you see around you?" 

  • Show students common shapes on Scratch Jr., like squares, triangles, and spheres. 

  • Explain how we use shapes to describe objects in our environment, such as identifying a window as a rectangle or a ball as a sphere.

• Group Activity:

  • In pairs, students will use Scratch Jr. to create a digital scene using different shapes. 

  • They will select and drag 2D and 3D shapes like triangles, rectangles, cubes, and spheres to create simple designs. 

  • Ask them to describe the relative positions of the shapes using terms like "above," "below," "beside," or "next to." 

  • For example, "The cube is beside the cylinder, and the triangle is above the rectangle."

• Creating and Coding:

  • Encourage students to use Scratch Jr. coding blocks to animate the shapes, moving them to different positions. 

  • Demonstrate how to program a sphere to move above a cube or a square to move behind a triangle. 

  • This activity helps students explore spatial awareness while practicing coding concepts.

• Testing and Refining:

  • Have students test their digital creations, ensuring that the shapes move as expected and that they can describe the relative positions correctly. 

  • Allow time for adjustments if necessary.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present their digital scenes to the class, describing the shapes they used and explaining their relative positions. 

  • Lead a discussion on the differences between 2D and 3D shapes and how technology helped them create and visualize the shapes.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-arranged Scratch Jr. templates with different shapes for students who need extra guidance. Pair students with different experience levels to promote peer learning.

Real-World Application:

Connect the lesson to everyday life by discussing how we recognize shapes around us, such as a door (rectangle) or a ball (sphere). Emphasize how spatial awareness helps us navigate our surroundings and describe objects accurately.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students create digital scenes using shapes, practicing the identification of 2D and 3D shapes.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students test their Scratch Jr. projects to ensure the shapes' positions match their descriptions and coding instructions.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS Mathematics K.G.1

• CA CCSS Mathematics K.G.2

• CA CCSS Mathematics K.G.3

• CA CS K-2.AP.12