Composition and Decomposition of 3D Shapes
Composition of 3D shapes
Facilitating 3D shape composition
Blocks provide a way to incorporate geometry and other math concepts such as height, area, and volume!
- Begin by using single blocks to represent (e.g. car)
- Move onto stacking blocks to make a “road”
- Extend buildings into multiple dimensions
- Multiple spatial relations and points of contact
- Small number of children will combine smaller shapes to create larger (e.g. two triangles to rectangle)
- Block building in preschool predicts mathematic achievement in high school
- Block building helps develop spatial skills
Facilitating 3D shape composition
- Parallel play with older children
- Provide adequate time and materials
- Allow for exploratory play, semi-structured and well-structured problems
- Understand the child’s level & learning trajectories
- Provide verbal scaffolding rather than direct assistance or personally engaging in block building
- Be equitable
- Be especially intentional with girls participating in block play
Blocks provide a way to incorporate geometry and other math concepts such as height, area, and volume!
- Activities Involving building structures with block shapes, help assist children with problem-solving, measurement and estimation. For example: a child may need to find a shape long enough to make a roof for a home
- As educators and parents, we can use terminology to assist in children’s learning and how they play. For example: a child may say “the bridge is too small” or “my tower is biggest.” The educator or parent may suggest new words such as “high”, “low”, “tall”, “short”, “wide”
- It is important to pose various questions to children involving their block and structure building, such as: Who used the most blocks?
- In doing so, children look at the blocks and structures they use, find similarities and differences among their creations and focus on their ideas
Learning Trajectory
This level is not an instructional goal level. |
Pre-Composer
Age: 0-1 year Places blocks randomly. Does not combine them to create larger shapes |
Activities
The Math in Blocks Activity
Jenga