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VIEW:

The Shape of Things to Come: A Shape Quilt http://pbskids.org/dragontales/parentsteachers/activities/activity216b.html http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/virtualgoose/index.html http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/squaresandrect

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SHAPES Sesame Street Children will enjoy learning about shapes by reading, viewing and doing, the 3 Steps of the Learning Triangle. Read When a Line Ends a Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene and Illustrated by James Kaczman, where each shape comes to life through poetry and the imagination. View, A Journey to Ernie where Ernie and Big Bird, playing a hiding game, discover the unique qualities of each shape along the way. Do a shape quilt with colorful paper or fabric to create unique patterns. Further extend the learning to language arts by personalizing each quilt, including painted or written stories.

Journey to Ernie Monday-Friday Daily @7AM

Ernie tells Big Bird you have to be in “shape” where he’s going and with that Ernie’s gone! Suddenly, Big Bird is magically transplanted to a strange place of shapes where he can’t find Ernie but he can hear him on a rectangular-shaped walkie-talkie. As Ernie gives Big Bird hints on how to find him, Big Bird must identify the shapes: circles, triangles and squares, until he finds his friend. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Identifying Shapes –

Web Resources: Children will learn to identify basic shapes such as circles, squares, triangles and rectangles as a building block to math literacy.

While You’re Watching… Ask Children:

• What is your favorite shape? • How many shapes can you find in this

room? • When Big Bird stops for a rest, do you

think he will find Ernie? February 2006 Shapes

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Support for Thirteen’s Ready To Lead in Literacy Service is made possible by the Uris Brothers Foundation with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Hilton Hotels Corporation, and the Bloomingdale’s Fund of the Federated Department Stores Foundation.

Other Recommended Books: Cassie’s Word Quilt by Faith Ringgold Henri Matisse by Jude Welton I Spy Shapes in Art by Lucy Micklewait

Making a Story Quilt: Faith Ringgold, an artist famous for her quilts, often writes or paints stories on her quilts about her life.

• Encourage your students to tell their stories on quilts.

• Plan the design of a story quilt to incorporate the shapes and the written text.

READ: When A Line Bends…A Shape Begins

By Rhonda Gowler Greene Illustrated by James Kaczman

Author Rhona Gowler Greene and illustrator James Kaczman collaborate to create a dynamic world of shapes that begin with the curve of a line. The description of each shape, from circles to hearts to diamonds and ovals, vibrates with a descriptive language, rich vocabulary and poetry. Children will enjoy discovering the connection between shapes and objects used in every day life.

DO: A Shape Quilt

Before the most beautiful quilts are created, they begin as an assortment of shapes. Traditionally quilts have been made out of scraps of fabric, assembled to make wonderful patterns. Some quilts even contain special messages in the patterns like those created for the Underground Railroad. To make a shape quilt follow the steps below:

• First create a template for each shape you want to use. • Cut out enough shape templates so everyone has their

own set. • Place the template on colored paper or fabric and cut out. • Take time to plan a design using repeating colors or

fabrics to make interesting patterns. Glue them unto a large sheet or use fabric glue to use with fabric.