Building Block Shapes

Overview

In this sixth lesson of Exploring 2D Shapes Fun, students use building blocks as straight sides to construct familiar 2D shapes. They connect tactile building to earlier shape recognition, then describe and compare their creations using everyday language such as sides, corners, straight and curved.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• recognise and name familiar 2D shapes.
• create circles, triangles, squares and rectangles using building blocks.
• notice and describe shape features, including sides and corners.
• explain why a model represents a particular shape.

Success criteria

• I can name the shape I made.
• I can build a shape with straight blocks.
• I can count and describe its sides and corners.
• I can explain how I know what shape it is.

Curriculum links

• Mathematics — sort, name and create familiar shapes, and recognise shapes in objects in the environment, giving reasons.
• Mathematics — use shape features, including the number of sides, to recognise and describe familiar shapes.
• General capability — Critical and Creative Thinking through designing, testing and explaining shape models.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Shape hook. Teacher displays a photograph of a playground or house made from simple shapes using the opening shape mystery slide and asks, “What shapes can you find?” Students identify shapes, justify one choice and share how they know. Briefly explain that today they will use blocks to make shapes rather than only look at them.

2. 5–12 min · Model and notice. Teacher uses large building blocks or magnetic blocks with the shape demonstration slides to model a triangle, square and rectangle, thinking aloud while counting sides and corners. Students trace each shape in the air, count with the teacher and compare the square and rectangle. Emphasise that a shape can be turned, tilted or made in a different colour and still remain the same shape. Explain that a circle has one curved edge and no corners, so straight blocks cannot make a perfect circle.

3. 12–15 min · Building instructions. Teacher shows the building challenge instructions and demonstrates safe, cooperative use of materials: collect a small tub, build on the floor or table mat, keep blocks low and share pieces. Students repeat the challenge: “Build it, name it, count it, explain it.” Arrange 25 students in five groups of five, with each group receiving a tub of blocks and a selection of shape cards or teacher-named challenges.

4. 15–29 min · Build familiar shapes. Teacher circulates, prompting with questions such as “How many sides does your shape need?”, “Are your blocks joined end to end?” and “How do you know this is a square?” Students work in pairs within groups to build a triangle, square and rectangle, then place each model on the correct labelled area of the table or floor. Encourage students to rotate their models and check whether the shape is still recognisable. Photograph or briefly record notable examples for discussion.

5. 29–37 min · Create and describe. Teacher invites each group to design a simple picture, such as a robot, house, vehicle or garden, using at least three built shapes. Students construct the picture, then complete the build-and-describe shape sheet by drawing or circling the shapes used and completing sentence frames such as “I used a ___ because it has ___ sides.” Students take turns presenting one part of the picture to a partner, who names the shape and checks the number of sides and corners.

6. 37–42 min · Shape gallery talk. Teacher uses the gallery discussion slides to guide a walk around the models. Ask, “Which shapes can you see?”, “Which models have four sides?” and “Can you find two shapes that are alike but different in size?” Students quietly view two models, then share one observation with a partner. Address misconceptions by comparing squares and rectangles and by showing that orientation does not change a shape’s name.

7. 42–45 min · Review and exit check. Teacher returns to the final review slide and asks students to complete the sentence, “I know my shape is a ___ because ___.” Students show a finger number for the sides of a teacher-selected shape, then tell a partner one thing they built and one feature they noticed. Collect worksheets and note which students can independently name, build and describe a shape.

Resources

• Building blocks, approximately five tubs
• Five table or floor building mats
• Shape labels or teacher-prepared shape cards
• the Building Block Shapes slide deck
• the build-and-describe shape sheet
• Pencils, crayons and clipboards
• Camera or tablet for recording models
• Large demonstration blocks or magnetic blocks

Assessment

• During modelling, check whether students identify sides and corners accurately and understand that turning a shape does not change its name.
• During construction, use questioning to assess whether students can build and explain triangles, squares and rectangles; record students needing prompts or further support.
• Use the worksheet and final oral sentence as an exit check. Look for a correctly named shape, an appropriate feature and a reason that matches the model.

Differentiation

• Support students with pre-selected blocks, shape outlines to build over, labelled visual examples and sentence starters: “My shape is ___” and “It has ___ sides.”
• Pair students strategically and allocate roles such as builder, checker, counter and speaker. Allow students to respond by pointing, showing or speaking.
• For students developing English, pre-teach and gesture the words shape, side, corner, straight, curved, square, rectangle and triangle; use real models and repeated oral language.
• Extend confident students by asking them to build two different-sized versions of the same shape, rotate a model, or create a picture containing a specified number of sides.