Oh, The Thinks You Can Think!: Mighty Math Monday: Marshmallow Shapes

As a former Pre-Kindergarten teacher and now stay-at-home mommy of 2 boys and a sweet baby girl, many people ask me how they can be implementing educational concepts in the lives of their young children at home before they enter school. Instead of trying to come up with a quick list of ideas off the top of my head to answer these questions, I have decided to put all of my lessons into this blog. I, along with so many other parents, want to be purposeful at home with my children and make the most of the time I have with them.
I hope that this blog can help, encourage, and inspire you to work with your kiddos and
get involved in the learning process! The benefits will be endless,
and the moments you share together will be priceless! As Dr. Seuss once said,
"The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you learn, the more places you'll go!"

Monday, November 12, 2012

Mighty Math Monday: Marshmallow Shapes

Objectives:
* To review 2-dimensional shapes and their characteristics
* To begin learning about 3-dimensional shapes
* To create shapes with marshmallows and toothpicks

Materials:
* Mini Marshmallows
* Toothpicks

Procedure:

* This is such a fun way to create shapes! Begin by demonstrating how to make a 2-dimensional shape, making sure you point out that the toothpicks represent the sides of the shape and the marshmallows represent the corners. For example, when making a square, say, "I need 4 toothpicks and 4 marshmallows because a square has 4 sides and 4 corners." Show your child how to connect them together, and then let them try.

* You can also create 3-dimensional shapes. Show your child how to build upon an existing 2-D shape (square into a cube). Talk about the names of the 3-D shapes and how they are different from 2-D shapes.