Make various rectangles on the mat. Have students divide them into two/four equal pieces (Include thirds for second graders). Discuss the definition of half and fourth/quarter/third while doing this activity.
Give students various attributes for an object and then have them make the shape on the mat. Have them make shapes such as triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, and hexagons based on the number of angles/vertices or sides.
Make various rectangles on the mat. Have students divide them into rows and columns of same-size squares and count to find the total number of them.
Make several different variations of a polygon on the mat. Have students discover what they all have in common. Discuss the different subcategories. For example, make several quadrilaterals and observe they all have 4 sides. There are rhombuses, rectangles, and squares, as well as other parallelograms.
Create cards with shape characteristics on them such as names of polygons, or a number of sides or vertices. Have shapes that match the cards already created out on the board (or allow students to create them as they draw the cards). As the students draw the cards, have them match them with the corresponding […]
Option 1: Place a rectangular shape down on the mat (that fits inside the squares). Have students calculate the area of the shape by counting the number of squares it covers. Option 2: Create notecards with different multiplication questions. Give students paper strips or cubes the size of the grid squares. Have the students select […]
Have students create shapes on the mat with paper or blocks. Have them determine how many lines of symmetry the shapes have. Then, have them try it with different letters of the alphabet!
Have students make a shape on the mat and practice translations, reflections, and rotations with the shape. Then have them use two congruent shapes and translate/reflect/rotate as necessary to place them on top of one another. **Add a line on the mat for students to use as needed for reflection, etc.
Have groups of students make line plots based on the measurements of various classroom objects, for example, lengths of students’ pencils.
Appendix lists worksheets
