Shapes

Don’t Burn Your Feet

Parts of Shapes

Make large shapes on the floor. Name a shape to find based on a rule that focuses on the defining parts of that shape, such as the number of sides or angles. For example, “jump on a shape with three sides!” or “jump on a shape with four angles!” Then children quickly jump on an example of that shape. Have children explain why the shapes they jumped on are correct examples of the shape (or discuss why they are not correct). State another rule and play again.

Primary Objectives

  • Recognize sides and angles (vertices) as distinct geometric features
  • Count shapes’ sides and angles
  • Name and describe attributes of shapes (for example, a square has four straight sides that are all the same length)

How To Use

  1. First, introduce the activity to the WHOLE GROUP.
  2. Then, engage children in the activity in SMALL GROUPS.
  3. Once the children are very familiar with the activity, they can play it independently at CENTER TIME with slight modifications.

If most of your children are not yet able to recognize and name most shapes, you may want to instead preview the Shape Names version. If most of your children are naming all shapes and are also able to describe shapes based on their defining features (how many sides and angles most shapes have), you may want to instead preview the Shape Properties & Attributes version.

Materials


Teacher Resources


Shape glossary handout with sample language to use when describing shapes to children; also features additional shape examples and non-examples.

Steps of the activity

The activity step icons below outline the steps of the activity to the Whole Group.

Find a sample script for teachers to use here.


Step 1

Teacher states a rule indicating which shapes are “safe” to jump on.

Step 2

Children jump on a shape based on the rule.

Step 3

Teacher checks children’s chosen shapes.

Step 4

Teacher states another rule and repeat steps 1-3.
Instructions

Instructions for introducing the activity to the Whole Group . 

Activity Set-Up

Outline or draw shapes on the floor or ground ahead of time, using the sample shape layout handout for shape ideas based on children’s knowledge of shapes. We recommend including a minimum of 10 shapes, with one per child if you have more than 10 children in your group.

MAKE IT EASIER

  • Math: Use familiar shapes (such as circles, triangles, squares, rectangles) or use only easier examples and non-examples (for example, triangles vs. circles and squares) for shapes.

MAKE IT HARDER

  • Math: Use less familiar shapes (such as hexagons, trapezoids) or use more challenging examples and non-examples.

Activity Warm-Up

Let’s practice some shapes! Ready… here we go!

Show examples of shapes you will be using during the activity (for example, with drawings on a white board), name the shapes that will be included in the activity, and describe the number of sides and angles.

If you’re introducing new shapes to children, consider using the introducing shapes handout or the shape description index cards for language and tips.

Introduce the Activity

We’re going to pretend that our classroom floor (or playground if outside) and some of these shapes are hot lava! So you don’t burn your feet, you have to jump (step) on the safe shapes. This activity gets you thinking about the parts that make up a shape, for example, how many sides or angles a shape has.

I will describe which shapes are safe. You figure out which shapes fit the rule and then jump on them so you don’t burn your feet!

Model the Activity

Choose two to three children to help demonstrate the activity.

As an example, Shapes with four sides are the safe shapes! Jump on all the shapes that have four sides so you don’t burn your feet!

Give a rule that focuses on the parts of shapes. Use the Don’t Burn Your Feet rules handout for recommended ideas for rules based on children’s knowledge of shapes.

For this version, focus on the number of sides or vertices (angles) of shapes.

Children respond by jumping on the appropriate shapes. There may be more than one child on each shape. If, after children choose a shape, there are still shapes available that fit the rule, encourage some children to find another shape.

MAKE IT EASIER

  • EF: Before jumping, have children point to which shape(s) they will jump on and which will “burn their feet.”

You can also use Stop and Go cards to separate “planning” time (when children state the rule) from “action” time (when children start to move to shapes). Hold up the red stop card while children plan their next move to their next shape, and hold up the green card to cue children to move.

MAKE IT HARDER

  • EF: In addition to giving a rule about what shape to jump on, tell children to move in a certain way (for example, Tiptoe to the circles or Hop on the squares).

Model at least one rule using sides (for example, a shape with three sides) followed by one rule using angles (for example, a shape with four angles).

The rest of us need to watch them to make sure they are not burning their feet. Let’s tell them if they do!

To keep the children who are not in the activity engaged, ask them to make sure the children jumping are jumping on the correct shapes, and encourage them to tell them if they are.

MAKE IT EASIER

  • Math: Talk about the parts of the shape focused on in the rule and show examples from the teacher resource documents.
  • Math & EF: On a white board, draw a few examples of shapes to jump on (that fit the rule) and some to avoid jumping on (that don’t fit the rule) and have children tell you whether or not the drawn shapes fit the description or. Refer to the shape glossary handout for specific shape ideas.

MAKE IT HARDER

  • Math: Ask children to name the shape they chose.

Continue with different groups of children and different parts of shapes rules until all children have had a turn or as time allows.

Summary of Activity Adaptations

This is a summary of all the available adaptations to make Don’t Burn Your Feet easier or harder to accommodate the needs of your students. Whether the adaptation is easier or harder depends on each student’s math or executive function (EF) skills.

What to do next

On another day, do the activity in Small Group

Are some students ready for more challenge? Try the adaptations provided above for Whole Group. For children who can recognize and name most shapes and learn about how a shape family (such as triangles) has defining features of sides and angles, introduce the Shape Properties and Attributes version.

If most of your children are not yet able to recognize and name most shapes, you may want to instead preview the Shape Names version. If most of your children are naming all shapes and are also able to describe shapes based on their defining features (how many sides and angles most shapes have), they might be ready for the Shape Properties & Attributes version.

Materials


Teacher Resources


Shape glossary handout with sample language to use when describing shapes to children; also features additional shape examples and non-examples

Steps of the activity

For small groups, we suggest four children arranged in pairs with a teacher present to provide guidance.

The activity step icons below outline the steps of the activity. Find a sample script for teachers to use here.


Step 1

Teacher states a rule indicating which shapes are “safe” to jump on.

Step 2

Children jump on a shape based on the rule.

Step 3

Teacher checks children’s chosen shapes.

Step 4

Teacher states another rule and repeat steps 1-3.
Instructions

Instructions for introducing the activity to the Small Group . 

Activity Set-Up

Outline or draw shapes on the floor or ground ahead of time, using the sample shape layout handout for shape ideas based on children’s knowledge of shapes. We recommend including a minimum of 10 shapes. Both pairs of children will utilize the same shapes during play.

MAKE IT EASIER

  • Math: Use familiar shapes (such as circles, triangles, squares, rectangles) or use only easier examples and non-examples (such as triangles vs. circles and squares) for shapes.

MAKE IT HARDER

  • Math: Use less familiar shapes (such as hexagons, trapezoids) or use more challenging examples and non-examples.

Introduce the Activity

We’re going to pretend that our classroom floor (or playground if outside) and some of these shapes are hot lava! So you don’t burn your feet, you have to jump (step) on the safe shapes. This activity gets you thinking about the parts that make up a shape, for example, how many sides or angles a shape has.

I will describe which shapes are safe. You figure out which shapes fit the rule and then jump on them so you don’t burn your feet!

Model the Activity

As an example, Shapes with three vertices (angles) are the safe shapes! Jump on all the shapes that have three vertices (angles) so you don’t burn your feet!

 

Present a rule that focuses on the parts of shapes. Use the suggested rules handout for recommended ideas of rules based on children’s knowledge of shapes.

For this version, focus on the number of sides or vertices (angles) of shapes.

Children respond by jumping on the appropriate shapes. There may be more than one child on each shape. If, after children choose a shape, there are still shapes available that fit the rule, encourage some children to find another shape.

MAKE IT EASIER

  • EF: Before jumping, have children point to which shape(s) they will jump on and which will “burn their feet.”

You can also use Stop and Go cards to separate “planning” time (when children state the rule) from “action” time (when children start to move to shapes). Hold up the red stop card while children plan their next move to their next shape, and hold up the green card to cue children to move.

MAKE IT HARDER

  • EF: In addition to giving a rule about what shape to jump on, tell children to move in a certain way (for example, Tiptoe to the circles or Hop on the squares).

Present two rules in a row using different shape parts (such as sides) and characteristics (such as number). For example, first have children go to shapes with three sides, then to shape with four angles on the next turn.

Now, freeze in place!

 

Have children remain on the shapes they chose.

 

How do you know the shape you jumped on is a safe shape?

Does this shape have [number] straight sides/vertices? What about this part?

Ask children to explain why the shapes they jumped on were correct.

If children are incorrect, ask other children to discuss which shapes fit the rule and why, and allow children to attempt to self-correct and try again. If you need to intervene, direct their attention to what does and does not fit the description, gesturing to specific parts of the shape.

MAKE IT EASIER

  • Math: Talk about the parts of the shape focused on in the rule and show examples (for example, from paper shape sets or drawings on a white board).
  • Math & EF: Draw a few examples of shapes to jump on (that fit the rule) and some to avoid jumping on (that don’t fit the rule) on a white board and have children tell you whether or not the drawn shapes fit the description. Refer to the shape glossary handout for specific shape ideas.

MAKE IT HARDER

  • Math: Ask children to name the shape they chose.

Repeat with additional rules.

 

Summary of Activity Adaptations

This is a summary of all the available adaptations to make Don’t Burn Your Feet easier or harder to accommodate the needs of your students. Whether the adaptation is easier or harder depends on each student’s math or executive function (EF) skills.

What to do next

Do some students need more support or more challenge? Try the adaptations provided above for Small Group. Continue working in small groups with teacher support until students can comfortably play with minimal teacher guidance. Then have students practice the activity independently in Center .

For children who can recognize and name most shapes and learn about how a shape family (such as triangles) has defining features of sides and angles, introduce the Shape Properties and Attributes version.

Did some of your students play the Naming Shapes or Shape Properties & Attributes versions in a Small Group? If so, they should also play that version during Center Time. Don’t forget, children should play Don’t Burn Your Feet in Small Group before playing in Center Time!

Materials


Teacher Resources


Shape glossary handout with sample language to use when describing shapes to children; also features additional shape examples and non-examples

 

Steps of the activity

The activity steps icons below outline the steps of the activity. Print these icons as cards and share them to help children remember the steps. They’re also a helpful scaffold for children! Find a sample script for teachers to use here.


Step 1

One child selects a rule card and shows or tells the rule to the other child(ren).

Step 2

Children jump on a shape based on the rule.

Step 3

The child who selected the rule card checks the other child(ren)’s answer on the back of the rule card.

Step 4

Another child selects a rule card and play continues.
Instructions

Instructions for introducing the activity to the {group title}

Instructions for using this activity in pairs during independent Center Time

 

Activity Set-Up

Select appropriate center rule cards based on children’s knowledge of shapes. Outline or draw at least 10 shapes on the floor or ground ahead of time, including shapes shown on the selected rule cards.

MAKE IT EASIER

  • Math: use familiar shapes (such as circles, triangles, squares, rectangles) or use only easier examples and non-examples (such as triangles vs. circles and squares) for shapes.

MAKE IT HARDER

  • Math: Use less familiar shapes (such as hexagons, trapezoids) or use more challenging examples and non-examples.

Introduce the Activity

You can play Don’t Burn Your Feet in this Center! Remember, the floor and some of the shapes are hot lava! You and your partner take turns choosing a rule and jumping on shapes so you don’t burn your feet.

 

You’ll use these cards to choose rules and to figure out if your partner is stepping on the right shapes so they don’t burn their feet!

The front of the card shows you how many sides or angles the safe shape has. This shows us that our partner has to step on a shape with four sides.

The back of the card shows you which shapes have four sides and which do not so you can check your pattern’s work. The shapes with the green check mark have four sides; the shapes with the red X do not.

Introduce the center rule cards and explain what they mean and how to use them. Explain how to figure out the rule on the front of the card and how to use the back of the card to check if your partner is right.

Instructions here use the “four sides” example with the trapezoid on the front.

 

MAKE IT HARDER

  • Math & EF: Let the child choosing the rule make up their own rules instead of choosing a rule card.

Center Set-Up

Now, you’ll use these cards to see the steps to play the game. First, you choose a rule card and tell your friends the rule.

What do you do first?

Show children each activity step icon and explain what they mean, reading the instructions on each card.

After explaining each icon, ask children to tell you all the steps you have covered so far. Continue until you have reviewed all of the steps.

 

MAKE IT EASIER

  • EF: Use the activity step icons to re-introduce the activity each time children play the game in Centers.

MAKE IT HARDER

  • EF: Omit the activity step icons.

Let’s practice and then you can play on your own.

 

Select one or more children to demonstrate. Lead the children in following the step icons. Provide guidance and correction as necessary.

 

Summary of Activity Adaptations

This is a summary of all the available adaptations to make Don’t Burn Your Feet easier or harder to accommodate the needs of your students. Whether the adaptation is easier or harder depends on each student’s math or executive function (EF) skills.

What to do next

Keep playing this activity in Centers throughout the year. Students who played the Parts of Shapes version may switch to the Shape Properties and Attributes version once they’ve been introduced to it in Small Group and can recognize and name most shapes and learn about how a shape family (such as triangles) has defining features of sides and angles.

Do some students need more support or more challenge? Try the adaptations provided above for Centers.


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