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Shapes

Kindergartners learn basic shapes — circle, square, triangle, star, and heart — and find them all around, the building blocks of pictures.

KindergartenShape25 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name basic shapes.
  • ✓Find shapes around me.
  • ✓Draw a shape.
  • ✓Use shapes in art.
Essential Question

Shapes are everywhere — a round circle, a pointy triangle! What shapes can you find and draw?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Shapes Explorer

Project this and tap each shape. Have children learn basic shapes and where they see them.

⭕ Explore shapes — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Artistic Process (Look · Explore · Create · Share · Reflect)

25 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Look — Shapes All Around

3 min

A round circle, a pointy triangle — what shapes can you find?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show shapes.
  • Ask their names.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Name.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Shapes

7 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to the Shapes Explorer.
  • Name each shape.
  • Find them around.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Name them.
  • Find them.
3

Create — Create

7 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Draw a circle.
  • Draw a square.
  • Make a shape picture.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Draw it.
  • Draw it.
  • Make it.
4

Share — Share

5 min

Children share.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show your shapes.
  • Name one.
  • Be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Show it.
  • Name it.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

3 min

Children respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a shape.
  • Find it in the room.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Find it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Visual Arts).

NCAS
VA:Cr1.1.K

Explore shape in art.

NCAS
VA:Re7.1.K

Perceive shapes in the world.

NCAS
VA:Cr2.1.K

Use shapes to make art.

NCAS
VA:Cn10.1.K

Connect shapes to things.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Shape picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “A ___ is ___.”
  • Point to shapes.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with circle and square.
  • Use big shapes.
  • Trace one.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add more shapes.
  • Draw a shape animal.
  • Find shapes at home.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • ⭕Shape cards
  • 💻The Shapes Explorer
  • ✏️Crayons
  • 📄Paper
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

shapethe form of a thingcircleround, like a ballsquare4 same sidestriangle3 sidesstarhas pointsheartmeans loveroundcurved all aroundsidean edge of a shape
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What shape is round like a ball?
A circle.
QUESTION 2
How many sides does a triangle have?
3.
QUESTION 3
Name a shape.
Circle, square, triangle, star, or heart.

Reflect: find a shape.

Have children find a circle and a square at home. A printable shapes sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 ShapesFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 ShapesQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ ShapesPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: circle, heart, round, shape, side, square, star, triangle
  1. has points
  2. curved all around
  3. means love
  4. 3 sides
  5. round, like a ball
  6. the form of a thing
  7. 4 same sides
  8. an edge of a shape

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What shape is round like a ball?
  2. How many sides does a triangle have?
  3. Name a shape.
Answer key — Part A: 1) star · 2) round · 3) heart · 4) triangle · 5) circle · 6) shape · 7) square · 8) side
Part B: 1) A circle. 2) 3. 3) Circle, square, triangle, star, or heart.