SE 3.04Geometric Solids
The child explores and names ten blue solids by looking, touching, and seeing how each one rolls or slides.
Age 3½–5½Work 4 of 7 in Visual — Form
Presentation
- 1
Bring three very different solids to the rug: sphere, cube, cone.
- 2
Hold the sphere with both hands and move your hands all over its surface slowly.
- 3
Put it down and push it gently to show it rolls.
- 4
Feel the cube, and push it to show it slides; feel the cone and show it rolls in a circle and stands on its base.
- 5
Give a three-period lesson for the three names.
- 6
Present the other solids three at a time on later days.
- 7
Show how to place a solid on its matching base tile.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Match each solid to its base tile.
- Identify solids by touch in a bag or blindfolded.
- Find objects in the room with the same shape (a ball, a box, a can).
- Sort solids into those that roll, those that slide, and those that do both.
Control of error
The base tiles: a solid placed on the wrong tile does not cover it exactly. For naming, the guide checks.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Names all ten solids
- Matches solids to base tiles
- Identifies solids by touch alone