Shape Monster

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"Shape Monster, Shape Monster, How about a Circle for your lunch?"

During large group, we ask each student what they want the shape monster to eat. We put in the shapes as they say their names, giving a visual model as needed. Then each student is given a shape to hold. We then chant "Shape Monster, Shape Monster, Munch, Munch Munch! How about a ________ for your lunch?" As we say the names of each shape, the students holding it come up and put the shape in the monster's mouth.

"Circle, Circle, What do you See?"

"... I see a blue rectangle looking at me." For this large group, we chant a version of Bill Martin's Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? story. We stop at the end of the verse and the students get to look around the room and see if they can spy that shape. If you would like a copy of these shapes or more information on this group, it's on Melissa's blog (our SLP last year): Click here for the Shape Story.

If you wonder how we decide what to do for small and large group activities, first we look at what the students need based on our curriculum (called the Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs)). Then we decide an activity that teaches these KDIs based on what their interests are then make sure it's planned out to meet the structure of the curriculum (adult-facilitated and guided but room for student growth and discovery at multiple levels). For example, the small group 'playdough tracks'. The KDI is 'Classification' which is under the area of Science & Technology. Many of the student's have loved playing in the playdough and discovered that it was fun to make prints in it with different objects, especially cars during worktime. During small group, they can continue doing this but there will be an adult labeling, encouraging and even helping them 'graph' the different types of tracks they see (big, small, same, different, bumpy etc.).