Lesson Plan (Grades K-2): Shape Safari - A Comprehensive K–2 Geometry Adventure

I. Introduction

Lesson Title: Shape Safari

Grade Level: Kindergarten–2nd Grade

Subject Area: Geometry & Early Science Connections

Overview Shape Safari transforms your classroom into a vibrant “jungle” of shapes, turning geometry into an active, exploratory experience. Over five sessions, students will:

1. Learn Shape Names & Attributes: Identify circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, spheres, cubes, cones, and cylinders by their defining characteristics.
2. Hunt for Shapes: Embark on a guided “safari” through jungle-themed stations, locating hidden 2D cut-outs and 3D models among foliage, rocks, and animal props.
3. Record Findings: Sketch discovered shapes in personal field notebooks, labeling each with its name.
4. Count & Tally: Use one-to-one correspondence to count how many of each shape type their team collected.
5. Graph Results: Create class and individual pictographs and bar graphs to represent total shape counts, interpreting which shapes appeared most and fewest.
6. Write & Speak Math: Compose simple comparison sentences (“I found more circles than triangles”) and share observations in a culminating “Safari Symposium.”
7. Reflect & Extend: Journal about discoveries, then extend learning through art, play-dough modeling, and home “mini-safaris.”

Through active movement, collaborative exploration, and repeated practice with shape vocabulary, K–2 learners build deep geometric understanding and data skills while fostering curiosity about the natural world.

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives Students will be able to:

1. Name & Describe at least four 2D shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle) and four 3D solids (sphere, cube, cone, cylinder), citing defining attributes (e.g., number of sides, faces, vertices).
2. Locate & Identify shapes hidden in thematic stations, distinguishing between 2D and 3D forms through visual and tactile exploration.
3. Sketch & Label shapes accurately in a field notebook, using shape names and simple descriptions (e.g., “This is a cone with one circular base.”).
4. Count Accurately by using one-to-one correspondence to tally up to 20 items per shape category.
5. Create & Interpret Graphs: Construct a pictograph and a bar graph representing shape counts; answer questions about “most,” “fewest,” and “equal.”
6. Use Mathematical Language: Orally compare shape quantities using comparative terms (“more,” “fewer,” “equal”), and compose simple written sentences.
7. Reflect & Connect: Recognize shapes in everyday contexts and describe how shape properties relate to real-world objects.

Standards Alignment

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.2: Correctly name shapes regardless of orientation or overall size.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.1: Distinguish between defining attributes (number of sides) versus nondefining attributes (color).
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.G.A.1: Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.D.10: Draw a picture graph and a bar graph with single-unit scale.
• NGSS K-ESS3-1: Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants or animals and the places they live. (Sorting living vs. nonliving, relating shapes to habitats.)
• SEL – Competency (Social Awareness): Practice turn-taking, active listening, and respectful feedback during group activities and symposium.