Lesson Plan: Introduction to Shapes

Age Group: Pre-K (4-5 years old)
Duration: 30 minutes

Materials:

• Shape flashcards (circle, square, triangle, rectangle)

• Colorful shape cutouts (various sizes)

• Whiteboard and markers

• Shape sorting mats

• Book about shapes (e.g., "Mouse Shapes" by Ellen Stoll Walsh)

• Music for a shape song

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to identify and name basic shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle).

2. Students will demonstrate the ability to sort shapes by type.

3. Students will engage in a movement activity that reinforces shape recognition.

Structure:

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

   • Greet students and introduce the topic of shapes.

   • Show shape flashcards one by one, saying the name of each shape clearly while having students repeat after you.

2. Story Time (5 minutes)

   • Read a short book about shapes to reinforce vocabulary.

   • Ask students questions about the shapes in the story (e.g., "What shape is the mouse's house?").

3. Shape Identification Activity (10 minutes)

   • Use colorful shape cutouts to play a game where you hold up a shape and ask students to identify and name it.

   • Call on individual students to show a shape and lead the class in repeating its name.

4. Sorting Shapes (5 minutes)

   • Distribute shape sorting mats and cutouts to small groups.

   • Instruct students to work together to sort the shapes into groups based on type.

   • Walk around to provide assistance and encourage language use.

5. Movement Activity (3 minutes)

   • Play a shape song and encourage students to dance and make shapes with their bodies as they hear each shape name mentioned in the song.

6. Wrap Up (2 minutes)

   • Gather students back together and review the shapes learned.

   • Ask a few students to name their favorite shape and one thing they learned today.

   • Provide positive reinforcement and inform them about the next lesson.

Total Duration: 30 minutes

This lesson plan is designed to be engaging and interactive while focusing on foundational shape recognition for young ESL learners.

Shape Detective Song Worksheet

Shape Detective Song

Sing this fun song while searching for shapes!

Lyrics

Verse 1
Circle, square, triangle, too!
Find a shape, it’s waiting for you!

Chorus
Look around, what do you see?
Shapes are everywhere, just like me!

Verse 2
Rectangle, oval, star so bright,
Let’s find shapes, oh what a sight!

Chorus
Look around, what do you see?
Shapes are everywhere, just like me!

Shape Detective Activity

Draw the shapes you find!

Color the Shapes

Color the shapes below!

• Circle: ____________

• Square: ____________

• Triangle: ____________

• Rectangle: ____________

• Oval: ____________

• Star: ____________

Shape Detective Reflection

What shapes did you find? Write or draw!

Have fun singing and searching for shapes!