Teaching geometry to students can be a fun and engaging task. There are many opportunities for hands-on practice with a geometry unit. Here is a collection of videos, books, anchor charts, freebies, and other activities that will make learning geometry fun in your classroom.
Geometry Anchor Charts
Anchor charts are a great way to introduce a math concept. When teaching students about 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes, these anchor charts are the perfect option. I suggest creating the top of the anchor chart as well as the grid. Then laminate the anchor chart and complete the rest of it with your students.
Student anchor chart templates are a practical way to get your students involved and active in the anchor chart process. Give each student an anchor chart template (see following pages of this file) and a clip board. As you are going through your anchor chart in front of the class, your students are completing theirs. They can glue these into their math notebooks or take them home.
When you are done with your Geometry unit, simply clean off your laminated anchor chart and store it until next year!
PLEASE NOTE: You will want to print the 2-D shape student anchor chart back to back to allow for more boxes for students to learn all about the 2-D shapes.
Download Geometry Anchor Charts HERE
I teach partitioning before I teach fractions. The partition anchor chart is a great option because it provides a nice visual for the students to understand the difference between rows and columns. At the bottom, you can instruct the students to partition their rectangle into a given number of rows and columns. There are six rectangles for your students to apply this skill.
The fraction anchor chart provides the opportunity for your students to learn about a variety of skills. Again, the student template is blank so your students can fill this out with you. See halves and thirds as an example of what can be done to these shapes.
Keep a Math Notebook
Geometry and Fractions math notebooks can be a powerful tool for students. Math notebooks are a collection and portfolio of student learning. Students can go back and reference past and current skills that have been learned. Math notebooks are also great for parent teacher conferences! If you teach 1st grade, we also have a Geometry math notebook that are aligned to your standards as well!
Fraction Task Cards with a TWIST of Spring
Spring seems to be the time of year when students are learning about fractions so why not combine the season and the math skill into one activity? This set covers all aspects of learning about fractions and includes a student recording sheet for accountability.
Download Fraction Task Cards HERE
Hands-on Symmetry Practice
Symmetry is a skill that is easy to teach with a hands-on approach. Give students a container of pattern blocks, a symmetry mat, and some task cards and watch them go! Just print and go!
Download Symmetry Center HERE
Sometimes You Just Need a Worksheet
Hands-on learning is fun but sometimes students just need a worksheet to apply their learning. These fraction printables can do exactly that.
Download Fractions Worksheets HERE
Fraction Fun
The concept of halves, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths, and eighths can be taught through a variety of activities. This one in particular has different labels identifying the type of fraction. The students choose a card, place it under the correct fraction, and then use a dry erase marker to write the fraction for the shaded part. Recording sheets are also available and great for accountability.
Download Fractlon Center HERE
Fraction Expert Headbands
Allow your students to have some fun with fraction expert headbands. Students choose the fractions that they want on their headband. Each fraction card requires the student to shade in part of the shape.
Download Fraction Headband HERE
Composing New Shapes
Composing new shapes is a skill that I believe needs to be taught through exploration and hands-on application. Give students a container of pattern blocks and some task cards. Students choose a task card and creates the new shape using the shapes suggested on the task card. So fun and challenging!
Download Composing Shapes Center HERE
Playdough Fractions
Who says elementary aged students are too old for playdough? Learning equal parts and partitioning can be achieved through the use of playdough. Simply give students a container of playdough and ask them to create different shapes. This can be done in whole group or small group. The shapes can be written on the board or told orally. Once the shapes are created, instruct students to partition their shapes into halves, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, sevenths, and eighths using a popcicle stick, plastic knife, or even pencil tip.
Are your students familiar with Toothy yet?
If your students aren't familiar with Toothy yet, they are missing out! Toothy is quickly becoming a favorite game to have in every elementary classroom. Students choose a task card and solve by writing the answer on the Toothy mat. Then students turn the task card over to self-check. If the answer is correct, he/she draws a tooth in Toothy's mouth. There are recording sheets available for accountability as well. All Toothy Task Kit Bundles include a large variety of skills so the game can be used all year long!
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Match Em' Up
All students know how to play memory which is why this game can be highly effective. Students have two piles of cards. One for the fractions cards and one for the shape cards. Students will turn over a card from each pile and if the fraction matches the shaded shape, they keep the set and go again. Students take turns turning over two cards. Game ends when all cards have been matched.
Download Match Em' Up Fractions HERE
Geometry Math Videos
Videos are a great option to mix up your math lesson. The following list of videos feature a variety of energetic songs, excellent graphics, and easy-to-follow explanations all about geometry. Since these videos collectively address a variety of grade-levels and geometry sub-topics, you should have no trouble finding the perfect place in your math instruction to use one (or more) of these entertaining and educational geometry videos.
15 Children's Books that Teach Geometry
Introducing geometry-focused storybooks is an excellent strategy for helping your students gain a deeper understanding of the subject and helping you teach it! Here are a list of geometry books that we recommend. You can read more about them in this geometry books blog post.
Shape Up! Fun with Triangles and Other Polygons by David A Adler and Nancy Tobin
Grandfather Tang’s Story: A Tale Told with Tangrams by Ann Tompert
Zachary Zormer: Shape Transformer by Joanne Reisberg
Triangles by David Adler
If You Were a Polygon by Marcie Aboff
Icky Bug Shapes by Jerry Pallotta
Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes by Roseanne Thong
When a Line Bends…A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler
Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy
Shapes That Roll by Karen Nagel
Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry by Cindy Neuschwander
Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy
The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns
Circus Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy
Ship Shapes by Stella Blackstone
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These are remarkable resources. Thank you for the time, effort, and creativity it took for you to create them.
Blessings!
Loveloce love the playdough! It is a crucial supply in my room!
Skip this one! Lol
Love love love playdough! Best way to keep kids engaged! Give them a knife for particioning, and the are over the moon happy!
These are absolutely wonderful resources! Thank you for all the work you have put in to help us out!