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Erikson Institute Early Math Collaborative
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big-ideas-shapes-for-kindergarten-preschool-early-years shapes kindergarten

Big Ideas of Shape

Big Ideas of Shape

  1. Big Ideas
  2. Shape

big ideas shapes

Shape

Everything in the material world has shape. A deeper knowledge about how two- and three-dimensional shapes are defined and relate to one another will help educators be aware of subtle distinctions and rules. Such an understanding allows educators to notice and highlight children’s key discoveries and to guide their experiences to make this knowledge explicit for them.

Copyright: Erikson Institute’s Early Math Collaborative. Reprinted from Big Ideas of Early Mathematics: What Teachers of Young Children Need to Know (2014), Pearson Education.

Big Ideas

● Shapes can be combined and separated (composed and decomposed) to make new shapes.
● The flat faces of solid (three-dimensional) shapes are two-dimensional shapes.
● Shapes can be defined and classified according to their attributes.

Interested in Book Suggestions?

Browse our favorite children’s books that explore Shape.

Learn more

types of shapes and nonexamples

Different Types of Shapes and Nonexamples to Spark Geometric Learning

It’s up to us to find, share, and talk about a variety of shapes with children in ways that expand their understanding and build connections between the shapes drawn on paper and the concrete objects in our world.

three dimensional shapes

Transforming Three-Dimensional Shapes with Child 36

This child successfully attempts to match geo-solids using triangular prism-shaped blocks. Focus on the Child videos are taken from one-on-one interviews with individual children. The interviews are designed to elicit evidence of children’s mathematical thinking.

shape books, preschool shape, shapes preschool activities, shapes for preschool

At-Home Activity Cards: Shapes

Books can illustrate kindergarten and preschool shape concepts while introducing foundational Big Ideas of math. These activity cards can help take the learning to the home environment where parents and caregivers can spark such discussion.

block play in kindergarten with math concepts

Making a Block Sandwich with Kindergartners

Thinking about sandwiches cut in half leads this boy to explore shape composition and equivalence with blocks.

Kids-books-geometry-646x363

4 More Kids’ Books Packed with Geometry

Shapes for kindergarten and preschool children doesn’t have to just be reciting the shapes. Here are books that can begin rich geometrical discussions.

Browse all that match this in our Idea Library.

Big Ideas of Early Mathematics:

What Teachers of Young Children Need to Know

The Big Ideas that convey the core concepts of mathematics are at the heart of this book that gives early childhood educators the skills they need to organize for mathematics teaching and learning during the early years.
Order a copy

Online MS in Early Childhood Ed – STEM Focus

Get your degree online!

Elevate your practice and strengthen your knowledge of teaching and learning in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), with an emphasis on children in preschool through third grade.
Find out more

Do the math.

 

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