Geometry Learning Center Ideas
Math and geometry can be difficult for some children and hands-on learning centers in the classroom can create a more engaging atmosphere. Colorful objects, games that challenge the children, and activities for single or groups of children will give them a way to learn geometry during, and outside of lesson times.
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Quiet Learning Centers
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Set up small, individual, learning centers for a quieter classroom. Encourage all the children to explore the activities during breaks. Rotate the activities frequently. Three dimensional puzzles that explore geometric shapes are available for many age groups. For younger children, a felt board with felt shapes can be provided, so that they can create pictures. A weekly challenge, as a learning center, will engage the children in a puzzle that will also teach them something about geometry. Provide stickers or other prizes for those who figure out the answer. For older children, have them create a three dimensional shape, such as a cube, from one sheet of paper. Geometric puzzles using toothpicks, and challenging the children to turn one shape into another, are also available as worksheets or puzzle books for different age groups.
Group Learning Centers
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A learning center can be an appropriate place for children to interact and learn together. Pipe-cleaners can create an educational game for two or more students. Have a set of geometric flash-cards, age appropriate, at the table as well as a number of pipe-cleaners. One child looks at the card, then re-creates the shape using the pipe-cleaner. The other children must race to guess which shape he is making. Tangrams are different shapes that can be put together in variations to form other shapes or pictures. Tangram puzzles are available in printable form or as plastic game pieces for children. They encourage cooperation as the children try to create the illustrations provided.
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Learning Centers for the Whole Class
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Setting up a number of learning centers and having the entire class rotate through them in smaller groups can break up the daily routine and keep the children interested in geometry. These learning centers can be run by parents, teachers, or older children. One idea is to have the children make gelatin shapes by preparing cookie sheets of gelatin for them to cut edible shapes out of. You can have a center with small individual chalkboards or paper, and have the children try to draw a shape based on clues you give them. A small scavenger hunt around the room, school, or outside area to find objects of certain shapes is another idea.
Craft Learning Center
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Geometry based crafts will teach the children the material while stimulating their creativity. Many common craft materials, such as toilet paper tubes and bottles, are basic geometric shapes. A thick board, with nails attached in a graph pattern, can be used to create geometric shapes with string or yarn. Place white, recipe-card sized, white paper at the learning center with small rulers. Children can start by drawing a straight line on the paper, and from there draw dots throughout the paper. Using the ruler, have them connect all the dots to the line to create a geometric shape. They can then color the shapes with markers or colored pencils and cut it out. Decorate the area around the learning center with the shapes the children have made.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit geometry image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
