Lesson Plan

Geometry: Scavenger Hunt

Subject:	Math
Grade span:	1 to 2
Duration:	30 minutes

This lesson was excerpted from the Afterschool Training Toolkit under the promising practice: Finding Math

Description:

This sample lesson is one example of how you can implement the Finding Math practice. In this activity, students hunt for hidden geometric shapes and work together to recognize the properties of shapes.

Learning Goals:

Understand basic properties (number of sides, corners, square corners) of shapes
Recognize regularities, similarities, and differences among shapes

Materials:

Different colored cut-outs of squares, rectangles, circles, ovals, and triangles
Chairs

Preparation:

Using different-colored construction paper, cut out squares, rectangles, circles, and ovals. You should have enough for each student to find a shape. There should be sets of three shapes with something in common (straight sides, four corners, rounded, etc.).
Save one of each shape and color to review, then hide the shapes around the room for students to find.

What to Do:

Review each shape and color with students. Ask students to describe each shape, its color, the number of sides and corners, or if it doesn't have any corners. Which shapes are similar? Which are different? Why?
Explain to students that there are shapes hidden throughout the room for each student to find. As they find the shapes, they need to find two other students to sit with (groups of three) whose shapes have something in common with their own.
Give students time to find the shapes and two students whose shapes have something in common with their own.
Give groups time to discuss the properties of their shapes.
Ask each group to report in, describing where they found their shapes, what shapes they found, and how they are both similar and different.

Teaching Tips:

A variation for very young students would be to review the shapes and colors, then give each student a shape and ask them to find a similar shape hidden throughout the room.
Use guiding questions to help students use what they know about the properties of shapes (straight sides, number of corners, etc.) and colors to figure out what makes another shape similar or different. For example, you may want to ask them what makes their shape like another and encourage them to justify their thinking.

Evaluate (Outcomes to look for):

Student participation and engagement
Understanding of the basic properties of shapes
Answers that reflect an ability to describe shapes
Ability to compare and contrast specific properties of shapes, identify similarities, and highlight differences
Ability to work together in small groups

Standards:
Click this link to see additional learning goals, grade-level benchmarks, and standards covered in this lesson.

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