Math Work in Kindergarten 

 

 

The students were recently presented with a series of photographs of landmarks and beautiful structures from around the world. Many children quickly recognized the Calgary Tower. A few students were able to identify the Eiffel Tower. Our conversation focused on a discussion of what was the same and different about the structures. This led to comparisons of size and describing the shapes found within the different buildings. “I can see lots of squares” one student commented. Another student stated, “There are cylinders on the sides of that tower.” As an extension to our focus on 2 D-Shapes and 3 D-Objects, the students were then invited to work with a partner and recreate a structure.  Using an assortment of different sized wooden shapes and loose parts, the children were focused as they created their building. They were also astute in describing differences in designs. Some students counted the number of shapes they used to create their structures. Others compared the heights of their different creations. We continue to focus on noticing shapes in our surroundings.