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Geometric Shapes

  • Lesson Plan Creator: Lynne Larson
  • Grades: Kindergarten
  • Subjects: Math, P.E.
  • National/State Fine Arts Standards: Create, Perform/Present, Respond

In this lesson designed for kindergarteners, students explore geometric shapes and how their bodies move through motion activity.

Learning Objectives/Goals

Exploration of shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, etc.) working alone and with a partner, levels (high, medium, low), pathways in space (straight, curved, zig-zag), how different body parts move

Materials Needed

Music, drum

Introduction

Class expectations (Good listening, following directions, be creative, be active), Spaceboundaries, personal boundaries, goals for class today

Warm-Up

Ask students to make a circle with their arms, their legs, one arm and one leg, their whole bodies. Repeat with other geometric shapes. Find a partner and make a circle with your partner. Can you make a circle on the ground, in the air, sideways?

Investigate

Without partners, have students walk a circle pathway on the floor. Can they walk in big circles, in little circles? Could they skip those same circle paths? What other ways could you move and travel on a circle pathway: hop, slide, gallop? Repeat this idea with different geo metric shapes.

Create

Ask the students to show movements in the body that are made of straight lines only. Play some music and have them move around the space in different levels, using straight line movement. Repeat with circular and angular movements.

Reflect

With a partner have students, create a surprise shape to show the class. This can be repeated a few times adding different levels and using different body parts and facings.

Extension to the Lesson

With a partner shape from above, instruct students to move away from each other for 8 beats of the drum and back together for 8 beats of the drum. Can they find their same shape? Can they find their home base? Repeat with different numbers of beats of the drum or different shapes.

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What People are Saying

The diversity of the dancers really spoke to my students! It was great to see boys and girls dancing, and different races. The high level of engagement was so refreshing and got students excited about thecontent.
This activity was valuable because it helped students make connections between dance, rhythm, healthy lifestyles, and expression. The students were impressed by the talent of the dancers and it was motivating to them.
Opportunities for art and expression are so limited at school but so essential and valuable for all students, especially those who struggle to learn through traditional methods. My Kindergarteners have been dancing since you left!
This was so engaging. I looked around the auditorium and every student was watching. Not one person was talking or distracted
This activity is valuable to teachers and students because it gives them a creative outlet. We need movement in the classroom to engage, energize and deepen student learning.
I got great ideas on how to incorporate movement into math and science lessons.
I loved how you made movement and exercise relatable to the students. The dancers were full of energy and there was very little down time so students stayed engaged.
Our children were captivated by the performance. They listened to you and they were learning without knowing. They usually giggle when bodies are shown and talked about. But the way you presented it was so tastefully done, they now do poses and movement around the room and outside. You brokesome barriers and they took that permission and literally ran with it!