Capital City Lesson Plan

Adapted for PreK

Topic of the
Lesson
Learning
Target(s)
Questions
to
Consider:

GOLD
Objectives:

Group
Setting:

Materials:

Activity:

Small group lesson: Shapes

I can use play-doh to make a shape.
I can add more play-doh or take play-doh away to change the shape.
1. What vocabulary do students use to describe the shapes they
create?
2. What shapes do children choose to create? Do they gravitate
towards the basic shapes that we have focused on in whole-group
experiences (square, rectangle, triangle, circle)? Or do they
choose other shapes (trapezoid, rhombus, oval, etc.)?
3. Where do students need extra support?
4. How long are students able to engage with the activity?
Objective 21 b: Understands shapes
Shows that shapes remain the same when they are turned, flipped, or slid; breaks apart or
combines shapes to create different shapes and sizes

The lesson will occur in a small group of students. This group has been
working together periodically to deepen their knowledge of shapes and
spatial relationships by using pattern blocks to compose new shapes
(putting two trapezoids together to make a hexagon; three triangles
together to make a trapezoid).

Play-Doh
Placemat or cookie sheet for each student
Pattern blocks to inspire work

Weve been working on making new shapes from these pattern blocks.
Today, were going to work on building our own shapes out of a different
material.
Show play-doh. Demonstrate how to make play-doh snake by rolling on
placemat. Say, We can use these long, straight snakes to make the
sides of a shape. Lets pick a pattern block to use to inspire our work.
Let children choose pattern block. What shape is this? Right, a
rectangle. How do we know? Right, because it has two long sides and
two short sides! So, Im going to make my snake into sides. I need two
long sides (show two play-doh snakes the same length) and two short
sides (show two shorter play-doh snakes, also the same length) to make
the rectangle. See?
Let students explore, touch, ask questions, etc.
Now, what would happen if we pinched off a little bit of each side?
take a few guesses and invite a student to pinch off parts of each side to
make a smaller rectangle. What happened to our rectangle?
Demonstrate that it is just a smaller rectangle.

Now its your turn to create shapes out of play-doh! You can use the
pattern blocks to inspire your work or you can create a different shape.
Circulate as students roll out snakes and make shapes on their
placemat. Encourage students to describe their shapes as they create
them in their own words. Focus on side length, number of sides, and
number of corners. Encourage students to take off a little play-doh from
each side to see what happens. Does the shape get smaller? Do they
create a brand new shape (e.g. rectangle square or rectangle
trapezoid)? Encourage students to add a little play-doh to each side.
What happens now?
Concluding experience: Ask: What shape did you create? How did
adding/taking away play-doh make your shape different? Think-pairshare. Consider asking student to demonstrate adding/taking away playdoh. Did any friends learn something that surprised them?
Assessment
:

Checklist that breaks apart standard (see attached)

Anecdotal notes

Differentiat
ion Options

If the fine motor manipulation of the play-doh is difficult for

students, other materials can be substituted (spaghetti, bamboo
blocks, pencils, popsicle sticks, etc.)
Lesson can be repeated various times; students can work
independently while teacher works with one student who needs
extra support
Use shape mats (shape outline inside sheet protector)

Extensions

Make concentric shapes to show bigger/smaller comparisons.

Reposition shapes to show shape consistency
Make play-doh and pattern blocks available in a centersensory
table or scienceand let students continue to make shapes.
Use pattern blocks as stampers to create impressions in play-doh.

Checklist for notes

Child
Sarah
Kavalli
Ryan
Mae

Shape remains
same when turned,
flipped, slid

Breaks apart shapes

Adds to shapes

Christian
RaMaya
Naomi