Cassandra McChord

November 15, 2016

Demographic: You have a classroom of 19 students. 5 are on reduced-lunch (low SES families).
You have 2 ELL students, both who have been in the country for several years and have had
intensive ELL instruction in elementary school. Your IEPs are (M denotes male, F denotes
female):
Herbert Milner (M): ADHD
Paten Vander (F): Speech Impairment
Lya Gross (F): Mild Dyslexia
Oliver Fore (M): Mild Autism
Title of Lesson: Shape Builders
Rationale: Teaching shapes within a Kindergarten classroom is crucial. A writer from
Scholastics says, Shapes are also symbols. Not surprisingly, the early recognition of shapes
relates to your childs ability to read symbols otherwise known as letters (2016, p.3). It is
important to recognize that by teaching basic shapes alongside letters, students will be able to see
the shapes a letter can make and master both writing and basic mathematic skills. A
representative from the TLC School in Arlington mentions, learning shapes can help a child
understand numbers, as counting plays an important part in identifying the number of sides a
shape has (2015, p.6). Students also can soon notice differences and similarities between shapes
as well. This will be a hands-on activity to better analyze how the students completes each
workshop based on their individual learning styles. From this lesson, students will be able to

build upon their fine motor skills while molding shapes out of pipe cleaners and playdough.
Before this lesson, students should be to recognize the shapes figure or design that was taught to
them in preschool (ex. circle, rectangle, square). It is important to do this at the beginning of the
year, preferably in the month of October. These workshops will occur in the middle of the shape
unit, after we have learned the names and designs of each shape. By the end of this lesson, it is
important that the students begin to recognize the design and name of the shape. After the
workshops, the plan for the rest of the day is to have the teacher use instructional scaffolding to
observe how well a student recognizes shapes while looking at pictures of animals during
science. To keep them engaged the instructor should be asking specific questions about the
animals (i.e. what is this animal, what sound does it make, what shape do you see when looking
at this said animal, etc.) It is important to help them, but not directly give the student the answer.
CCSS:
CCSS.Math.Content.K.G.B.5
Model shapes in the world by building shapes from components (e.g., sticks and clay balls) and
drawing shapes.

Objectives:

Students will be able to look at the shape and identify the name.
Students will be able to sketch or illustrate basic shapes (i.e. circle, square, rectangle)
Students will be able to rewrite the name of the shape listed above them during the
working stations.

Materials:

Pipe cleaners

Pre-made worksheets with the names of the shapes (chart with no pictures, make 19

copies)
White printer paper
Markers, colored pencils, crayons, pencils
Aquarium or playground sand
Plastic containers (about 6)
Playdough
Cookie cutters
Cups with slips of paper inside of them (attached chart with pictures, make 19 copies)
*only for red, orange, and blue table

Anticipatory set: An established routine in this class is that students transition from their carpet
spots by being asked a question of the day. Todays question is: What is your favorite food? The
students will go to designated color working tables already assigned at the beginning of the year
(If unsure of groups check list on whiteboard next to learning carpet). There should be four
groups of four students each, and one group of five students. At the table, there will be
everything that the group needs to complete the activity.
Teaching Strategy/Procedure/Activity:
There are five groups during this activity, this means there are five workshop tables, At the red
table there should be pipe cleaners, a bucket with tiny slips of paper inside that tell what shape
the student needs to form with the pipe cleaners, and a picture of what it looks like. At the blue
table there will be the sand buckets. Here, the students will have the cup with the paper slips and
they will need to draw that shape in the sand. To erase the shape they will need to shake the
bucket a little to let the sand spread out again. At the green table, they will see the playdough and
cookie cutters (they are encouraged to build the shapes out of playdough either using their hands
or cookie cutters). At the yellow table, there will be pre-made worksheets with the names of the
shapes and pencils. Students will try to rewrite the word to the best of their ability (help from the

teacher is allowed when necessary) Finally at the orange table, students will get markers,
crayons, pencils, colored pencils and white printer paper. They will also have the cup with the
names of the shape and its matching picture. Here I want them to select three different slips and
make a picture using those shapes. Workshop tables will last about 10 minutes, meaning that
students will have 2 minutes per station. Teacher will transition by timer next to whiteboard and
students will rotate clockwise.
Time:
5 minutes

Student will be doing:

Answering a question to
leave rug and go to
designated table.
Workshop table #1

Teacher will be doing:

Asking question of the day,
making sure every student is
at the right table
2 minutes
Interacting with students,
keeping time, making sure
students rotate groups after 2
minutes
2 minutes
Workshop table #2, rotating
Interacting with students,
when instructed.
keeping time, making sure
students rotate groups after 2
minutes
2 minutes
Workshop table #3, rotating
Interacting with students,
when instructed.
keeping time, making sure
students rotate groups after 2
minutes
2 minutes
Workshop table #4, rotating
Interacting with students,
when instructed.
keeping time, making sure
students rotate groups after 2
minutes
2 minutes
Workshop table #5, rotating
Interacting with students,
when instructed.
keeping time, making sure
students rotate groups after 2
minutes
Summary/Closure: Students will end the activity and class by passing in the work that they did
on paper into the pass-in bin by the teachers desk. Then, as a class we will discuss our favorite
activities. We will discuss anything that we have found difficult and then talk about different
ways to problem solve. Students will then have a read-aloud as stated above.

Type of Assessment:
Formal: none
Informal: This activity will be an informal assessment. To monitor progress, the teacher should
be not only walking around, but sitting down with the individual groups and seeing areas of
strength and weakness for each student. The next step would be then to reassess and potentially
switch up the learning groups if needed. Students should be able to understand what is asked of
them during instruction, but also enjoy the activity while learning. Students should be able to
remember most shapes, if not all, and their names during this specific activity.
Homework: There will be no homework or follow up assignment. This is because it is a
kindergarten classroom and if there needs to be a follow up on this lesson, I will make sure to
create another lesson to readdress anything a student did not understand.
Accommodations/Adaptations:
ELL Student #1:

This student will have advanced notes meaning that they will have notes given to them in

their language with specific key words to help them during instruction.
This student is permitted extra time during the workshop and can work at their own pace.
The student will be allowed a translator if needed during classroom activities.
This student who is ELL may need Teacher Modeling to better understand what is
specifically being asked of them.

ELL Student #2:

This student will have advanced notes meaning that they will have notes given to them in

their language with specific key words to help them during instruction.
This student is permitted extra time during the workshop and can work at their own pace.

The student will be allowed a translator if needed during classroom activities.

This student who is ELL may need Teacher Modeling to better understand what is
specifically being asked of them.

Herbert Milner (M) ADHD:

This student should have more space at his learning table so that they can focus properly

on what he are being asked to do.

Herbert is allowed a special chair in the classroom to help him during in-class lessons and

activities.
Herbert will be allowed to have extra time if needed, and permitted a quiet space to

complete his work.

Herbert will receive instructions both orally and written on a piece of paper to use as a

reference.
There should be a resource room teacher with him during activity time, in case the head
teacher is working with another student.

Paten Vander (F) Speech Impairment:

Paten will be allowed to have extended time during activities when needed.
Paten will receive instructions both orally, and typed out on a piece of paper to use as a

reference.
Paten will have a resource room teacher next to her during planned activity time. This
teacher will encourage her to voice her thoughts and allow her to take her time during the
activities while assisting her when needed.

Lya Gross (F) Mild Dyslexia:

Lya will receive directions orally and written. The instructions will be in a bigger print
and include visuals.

The directions that Lya will receive will also have key concepts and main ideas, it is

important to stray away from unneeded fluff in directions.

Lya will be placed in a smaller group to allow her to have more space and time to

complete each activity.

Lya will also be shown how to do the activity when needed through teacher instruction
and modelling.

Oliver Fore (M) Mild Autism:

Oliver will have a safe place in the classroom when he becomes over stimulated or

overwhelmed.
A teacher from the resource room will be there to assist Oliver when the head teacher is

working with other students in the classroom.

Oliver will be given clear and concise instructions as to what we are going to do during

classroom activities.
Oliver will be allowed extra time during the in-class activities.
Oliver will can opt out of activities that may make him uncomfortable (i.e. sensory
stimulation), but is encouraged to participate in all activities before opting out.

Attachments: Attached there will be written instructions for the students listed above. Each set
of notes has their names on it so it will make it easier to pass them out.
Plan B: If the original lesson plan is not working, it is time to scrap it and save it for another day.
It is okay to bring out the animal photo albums and picture books from our bookshelf for the
students to look at during science time. Ask them questions about the book specifically what
happened. Use open-ended questions so they can better elaborate. Encourage them to look for
animals that look like the shapes they worked with earlier today. If the lessons are too easy give
them another task that is a little more challenging. If it is too hard, try working with them as a
group, but not directly doing the work for them.

Directions: Look at the word in each column and rewrite the word three (3)
times.

Circle

Triangl Squar Star Rectangle

e
e

Circle
Triangle
Square
Star
Rectangle

Work Cited:
Church Booth, E. (2016). Why colors and shapes matter. Scholastics. Retrieved from
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3746476
This article is very important when it comes to understanding why we teach shapes at such a
young age. Shapes are really a building block for numbers and letters, which most people would
not really think of.
TLC Schools. (2015). The Importance of Colors and Shapes in Childhood Development.
AdvancED Accredited. Retrieved from http://tlcschools.com/2015/06/the-importance-ofshapes-and-colors-in-childhood-development/
This article also is very important and continues the thought process of why teachers should be
teaching shapes, letters, and numbers together. This is very insightful and gives the reader many
tips as to how to teach children shapes.