Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade R

Space and shape: basic 2D shapes (circle, square, triangle) – Week 7 focus

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Subject: Mathematics

Class: Grade R

Term: 2nd Term

Week: 7

Theme: General lesson support

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

Lesson summary

This week, we are diving into the exciting world of shapes! Learning about shapes like circles, squares, and triangles is very important. Shapes are all around us! Knowing these basic shapes helps us understand and describe the world around us, from the wheels on a taxi to the shape of a delicious sandwich. It also helps us build important problem-solving skills which will assist them in future mathematical studies and everyday life. Think about building with blocks, drawing pictures, or even recognising road signs - all of these involve shapes!

Lesson notes

Let's explore our three shapes: Circle: A circle is round like a soccer ball or a plate. It has no corners and no straight sides. It’s a continuous curved line. Think of the sun, a clock face (if round), or a button on your shirt.

Example: Imagine baking a delicious Koeksister with your grandmother. Before you fry the Koeksister, you might make it round. That shape is a circle!

Square: A square has four sides, and all four sides are exactly the same length. It also has four corners, called vertices, and each corner is a right angle (like the corner of a book). Think of a checkerboard square, a window pane (sometimes), or a slice of bread.

Example: Think of the shape of a window in your house. If all the sides are the same length, it’s a square! Also, think of the shape of a malva pudding cut into equal pieces.

Triangle: A triangle has three sides and three corners (vertices). The sides can be the same length, or different lengths. Think of a slice of pizza, the roof of a house (sometimes), or a road sign warning about a sharp bend.

Example: Imagine a slice of watermelon cut into a triangular shape. It has three sides and three corners – that's a triangle! Another example is the warning triangle you see next to a broken-down car. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Look at the following picture: A picture showing a variety of shapes – a ball, a book, a slice of pizza, a plate, a yield road sign. Can you point to the circles in the picture?

Solution: The ball and the plate are circles. A circle is round and has no corners.

Question 2: I am thinking of a shape. It has four sides, and all the sides are the same length. What shape am I thinking of?

Solution: You are thinking of a square. A square has four equal sides.

Question 3: Draw a shape with three sides on your paper. What is the name of the shape you have drawn?

Solution: (Teacher observes the learner's drawing). The shape is a triangle. A triangle has three sides and three corners.

Question 4: Sort these objects into groups: A button, a square block, a triangular sandwich. Which objects go in which group?

Solution: The button goes in the circle group because it's round. The square block goes in the square group because it has four equal sides. The triangular sandwich goes in the triangle group because it has three sides. Independent Practice (Questions Only) Draw a circle, a square, and a triangle. Label each shape with its name. Find three objects in the classroom that are shaped like a circle. Find two objects at home that are shaped like a square. What shape is a road sign that warns you about animals crossing the road? Colour all the circles red, all the squares blue, and all the triangles green in this picture (provide a picture with mixed shapes). I have four sides, but they are not all the same length. Am I a square? What shape could I be? Build a tower using blocks. What shapes did you use? Draw a picture of a house. What shapes did you use for the roof, walls, and windows? Which shape has the fewest sides? Is it a circle, square or triangle? Can you think of a game that uses shapes?