Investigations has two units on geometry to first grade but this year I decided to combine them into one unit that will cover both 2D and 3D shapes. So far the first part of the unit is going really well. Most of my kiddos came into first with a strong knowledge of shapes. They could name the basic shapes (circle, square, triangle) and define simple attributes about them.
Therefore, I have been working to introduce new vocabulary to describe shapes (vertices, polygons), and also challenge their thinking about what defines a shape. On Friday, we had a great discussion regarding what defines a "quadrilateral." I introduced the word and explained that quadrilaterals are 4-sided shapes with 4-corners, or vertices. I asked the kiddos to name some quadrilaterals and, not surprisingly, they came up with square, rectangle, diamond (or rhombus), and trapezoid. Then I sent them back to their seats to explore with geoboards. As the kids were making shapes, I took some pictures and put them up on the SMART board for our discussion. 
During our discussion at the end of the lesson, I asked the kids if they thought these shapes were quadrilaterals. Although of course they are, this is a challenging concept for first graders to accept. We talked about the characteristics of quadrilaterals and checked the shapes on the board. The looks on the their faces when I explained that all of the shapes we'd seen were quadrilaterals were priceless! It's so exciting to see them make this kind of mental breakthrough in their understanding. I'm looking forward to the next part of the unit which focuses on 3D shapes because I know our discussions will continue to be lively and informative.
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