Materials:10 solid geometric solids-cube-cylinder-cone-quadrilateral prism-triangular prism-square-based pyramid-triangle-based pyramid-sphere (on base/napkin ring)-ovoid (on base/napkin ring)-ellipsoid (on base/napkin ring)

Floor rug

General Presentation - Introduction:1.Invite the child or group of children.2.Carry a floor rug in the way shown before over to an empty place on the floor. Roll the rug out.3.Go over to where the Geometric Solids are kept.4.The teacher should name the material for the child, “Geometric Solids”.5.The teacher should demonstrate how to carry the basket with two hands (one on either side of the basket).6.The teacher should demonstrate how to carry the solids that are not in a basket by using two hands.7.Invite the child to carry the Geometric Solids over to the rug.8.Place the solids on the rug.9.Pick-up each solid, one at a time, and hold in both hands. Feel the surface all over with both hands. Lay the solid on the rug and gently push it to see if it rolls.10. Replace the solids that belong in the basket.11. Return the basket to the shelf where it belongs.12. Return the remaining solids, one at a time, where they belong.13. Roll your rug as you have been shown and return it to its place.

Second Presentation – Three Period Lessons (Naming):

Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. Teach the names of the solids giving Three Period Lessons.

Variation #1 – Environment Search:Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. This is where the child looks for objects that are similar in shape as to the solid. The first exercise is to take the solid and go find a similar solid in the environment. The second exercise is to study the solid, leave it, and go look for a similar solid in the environment. The third exercise is to recall the solid from memory and go look for a similar solid in the environment. The fourth exercise is to recall the solid from memory and to recall an object from the environment that is of a similar solid.

Variation #2 - Blindfolded:Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. Have the child put on a blindfold and to pick-up one solid at a time. The child should use both hands to feel the solid and they identify it by name. The second exercise would be where the child is asked to find a specific solid on the rug. The third exercise would be for the child to find a specific solid and to give its name.

Variation #3 – Mystery Bag:Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. The teacher should place several solids at a time in a cloth bag and the child would try to find a specific solid. The second exercise is where the child finds a specific solid and to give its name.

Variation #4 – Categorize:Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. Have the child put together a group of solids that roll and those that don’t roll. The next exercise would be for the child to put together a group of solids that have a point and those that don’t have a point, etc.

Variation #5 – Tracking the Solids:Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. Take a tray and put about an inch of salt/cornmeal in it. Roll each shape, one at a time, and see what kind of tracking marks it leaves.

Variation #6 – Matching (Faces):Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. Match the face of one solid to that of another.

Variation #7 – Matching (Two Dimensional):Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. Match solids to two dimensional representations.

Variation #7 – Recall:Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. Place a cloth over three or four solids. Without the child seeing, remove one of the solids. Take the cloth off and ask what is missing?

Points of Interest:1.The details of each solid (corners, points, faces, etc.)2.The way each solid moves

Control of Error:1.Drop the solids

Aims:Visual discrimination, grading size, order, concentration, coordination, etc.

Age:3 and up

Language:Names of the solids, faces, corners, points, tracks, etc.

Geometric Solids

Materials- A basket large enough to contain ten geometric wooden solids in blue:

A triangular prism A rectangular prism

A cube

A cylinder

A cone

A triangular pyramid

A square pyramid

A sphere

An ellipsoid

An ovoid

- Seven white cards with geometric figures drawn in a thin blue line- A suitable cloth (not transparent) large enough to cover the basket- A mat

 

Presentation

IntroductionInvite the child to come and work with you. Tell the child that for today’s work, we are going to need a mat. Have the child unroll a mat. Bring him over to the shelf and show him the basket, giving the child the name of the material. Have him bring over the entire basket, placing it in the top right corner of the mat. Have the child sit your left.

Procedure 1 - Take out one of the simpler shapes (such as the sphere), and place it on the mat in front of you.- Feel the solid in your hands by gently sliding you hands around the sphere.- Allow the child to feel the sphere in the same gentle manner.- Have the child place the sphere near the top left corner of the mat.- Demonstrate on another solid, showing him again how to gently slide your hands around the solid.- Allow the child to explore the other solids in the basket.

Procedure

2 (Prepare for the lesson in the same way as above.)- Take out the sphere from the basket.- Feel the sphere in your hands as in Presentation 1.- Allow the child to feel the sphere and as he is doing so say, “That is a sphere”.- Ask the child, “Can you put the sphere on the mat?”- The child should then place the sphere on the mat.- Take out the cube and repeat in the same way as with the sphere.- Take out the cylinder and repeat in the same way as above.                                              

 

- Then do a three-period lesson for: sphere, cube, and cylinder.- On another occasion, repeat this presentation for three more solids until the child knows that names of all of the solids.

Exercises

Exercise 1 The child works individually with the geometric solids.

Exercise 2The child chooses 3 – 4 solids. Place these in a separate basket and cover it with a scarf. Reach your hand under the scarf, feel one of the solids underneath, and say out loud what solid you believe you have in your hands. Take out the solid from under the scarf to reveal the solid you have. Allow the child to do as you have shown. This allows the names of the solids to be reinforced for the child. Work in this manner until the child can place a scarf over all of the solids and still feel and guess correctly.

Exercise 3 Take out three cards of contrast. Place the cards on the mat and see what solids fit onto each card. Allow the child to experiment with all of the cards.

 Exercise 4 In a tray of sand, gently roll one shape at a time to see what forms it can make.

LanguageLoud and SoftThe positives, comparatives, and superlatives.

Purpose

DirectTo refine the stereognostic sense.To make the child aware of the solid shapes that surrounds him.

IndirectPreparation for geometry.

Control of ErrorVisual

Age 3 1/2 years onwards