Primary Math Lessons

Barrier Game

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A binder dividing the space of two people and a title that reads, "Barrier Game".
One student builds a structure and gives instructions to his/her partner to build an identical structure.

Block Party

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A grid with different Tetris pieces and dots within it, and a title that reads, "Block Party".
Using their spatial skills, students transform and relocate unique shapes on a coordinate grid, attempting to avoid their opponent's pegs.

Box or Not?

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Three Tetris style pieces with a title that reads, "Box or Not?"
Students sort and classify 2D/3D figures by geometric properties and using spatial language.

Can You Draw This?

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A child drawing with a title that reads, "Can You Draw This?".
Students are briefly shown a series of designs inside a square and must recreate them from memory.

Can You Make a Square?

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A bunch of different shapes with a title that reads, "Can you make a square?"
Students use spatial reasoning to create squares using different tangram combinations.

Collect the Shapes

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Random shapes on a grid with a title that reads, "Collect the Shapes".
Children collect 2D shapes on a grid by giving directional instructions and answering questions on shapes attributes.

Copy My Flag

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Two flags made of paper with a title that reads, "Copy My Flag".
Students will practice their spatial language as they design and describe their geometric flags to their partner.

Cube Challenge

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A bunch of cubes making shapes on a table with a title that reads, "The Cube Challenge".
In this lesson, students work together to build 21 unique structures out of 3, 4, and 5 unifix cubes. Can you build them all?

Daily Calendar

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A classroom with a bunch of people seated and an instructor standing and pointing at a calendar. A title reads, "Daily Calendar".
This daily lesson with many small activities gives students the opportunity to practice all five strands of math every day.

Don't Break the Hex

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Ten hexagons and a title that reads, "Don't Break the Hex".
Students cover hexagon blocks with pattern blocks in this don't-get-caught-with-blocks-in-your-hand game!

Doubling Numbers: Part One

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A book titled "Two of Everything" with a Lesson Plan, and a title that reads, "Doubling Numbers".
After reading "Two of Everything," students explore number pattern rules by using a T-Chart to illustrate the relationships between whole numbers.

Doubling Numbers: Part Two

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A book titled "Two of Everything" with a Lesson Plan, and a title that reads, "Doubling Numbers".
After reading "Two of Everything," students explore number pattern rules by using a T-Chart to illustrate the relationships between whole numbers.

Exploring Tangrams

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Students working with tangrams and a title that reads, "Exploring Tangrams".
The history behind tangrams is a great way to explore composition, decomposition and spatial reasoning.

Hexagon Card Game

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Four white hexagons and various other shapes. A title reads, "Hexagon Card Game".
Students race to completely fill in the outline of a hexagon using different combinations of pattern blocks.

Hole-Punch Symmetry

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A hole-punch with a piece of paper and a title that reads, "Hole-Punch Symmetry".
Students visualize how folded and hole-punched paper will look when unfolded.

How Many Dots Do You See?

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An illustration of cards with dots and a title that reads, "How Many Dots Do You See?"
Students use visual pattern/arrangement to develop how to recognize quantity with accuracy and speed.

Missing Puzzle Pieces

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A variety of different shapes and an arrow with a title that reads, "Missing Puzzle Pieces".
Students develop reasoning and discussion skills by identifying the missing piece of a puzzle.

Origami Math

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A variety of shapes made of origami and a title that reads, "Origami Math".
Students make connections between mathematics, history and visual arts, through origami.

Pentomino Battleship

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Coloured tiles on a grid with a title that reads, "Pentomino Battleship".
Students practice reading letter-number coordinates by playing a battleship game with a partner.

Secret Shape Code

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Six different shapes with a title that reads, "Secret Shape Code".
Students develop spatial skills by practicing how to describe the location and orientation of different cut-out shapes.

Shape Name Game

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Six shapes in three different columns with a title that reads, "Shape Name Game"
Students develop the ability to identify and communicate the names of different geometric shapes.

Shape Shifter

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A grid with blocks and circles, and a title that reads, "Shape Shifter".
Enhance students spatial sense using grid coordinates, geometric transformations and problem solving.

Shape Slicer

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Shapes on a page with a title that reads, "Shape Slicer".
Students are challenged to deconstruct geometric shapes into smaller shapes!

Shape Transformer

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A graphic that reads Transformer Machine, with gears around it. A title also reads, "Shape Transformer".
Students work together to understand transformations as a series of inputs and outputs.

Skyscapers

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Four images of skyscrapers built with blocks. A title reads, "Skyscraper".
Students build and view a series of skyscrapers from four perspectives, ensuring no two towers in a row or column are the same height.

Spatializing Area

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Two pieces of paper with blue and grey squares over top. A title reads, "Spatializing Area".
Students use cutout shapes to understand the relationship between size, area and relevant measurements.​

Square Moves

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A student and instructor with a title that reads, "Square Moves".
Students transform tiles from one configuration to another, using spatial language to communicate their thinking.

Talking Tetris

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Different shapes on grid paper with a title that reads, "Talking Tetris".
Students use directional vocabulary to compose and decompose structures on a grid using various 2D shapes.

Terrific Transformations

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Two shapes drawn on two different sheets of graphing paper. A title reads, "Terrific Transformations".
Students get practice visualizing and manipulating features of quadrilaterals as they compete to modify a shape using as few moves as possible.

Upside Down World

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A student playing with blocks and a title that reads, "Upside Down World".
Students work with unifix cubes to rebuild "buildings" that have been turned upside down!