Magic Scissors Slides Magic Scissors
Hidden Shape Hunters
The Big Question
What shapes are hiding inside other shapes?
Breakfast Magic
Imagine we have a piece of Square Toast.
If we cut it from corner to corner, what will we get?
Surprise!
TWO TRIANGLES!
The triangles were hiding in the square all along!
Your Mission
Use your Magic Scissors to find the hidden shapes on your worksheet!
Shape Splitters Worksheet Shape Splitters
Detective Mission: Find the hidden shapes!
Name: ___________________________________
Date: ___________
Look at the large shapes. Follow the dotted line with your scissors. What new shapes did you make?
1
Split the Square
Cut into: 2 Triangles
2
Split the Rectangle
Cut into: 2 Squares
3
Split the Big Triangle
Cut into: 2 Small Triangles
4
The 4-Way Split
Cut into: 4 Squares
Great Job Detective
Magic Scissors Teacher Guide Magic Scissors
Lesson 1: Teacher Guide
Materials
• Square bread or toast
• Plastic knife
• Safety scissors
• Colored construction paper (squares, rectangles, triangles)
• Shape Splitters Worksheet
The Hook
"The Toast Transformation"
Hold up a square piece of toast. Ask: "I'm really hungry for two triangles. Can I turn this one square into two triangles?"
Action: Demonstrate cutting the toast diagonally. Have students count the new shapes: "One, two!"
Procedure
1
Prediction Parade
Hand out a paper square. Ask: "If we cut this from the top to the bottom, what will we get?" Let students share ideas before they cut.
2
The Workshop
Guide students to cut their shapes. Focus on the physical act of "breaking apart" a whole. Reinforce vocabulary: Half, decompose, hiding inside.
3
Shape Splitters Sheet
Students use the provided worksheet to practice guided cutting. Encourage them to "re-build" the shape by pushing the cut pieces back together.
What to Say
"Where was the triangle hiding?"
"Can we put it back together?"
"Are these two pieces the same?"
Differentiation
Support: Provide pre-perforated lines or hand-over-hand scissor support.Challenge: Can you cut a square into 4 tiny squares? How about 4 triangles? Shape Repair Slides Shape Repair Shop
Hidden Shape Hunters
Emergency!
Our shapes are broken!
The pieces are all mixed up. Can you help us fix them?
The Repair Manual
1. Find the pieces
2. Turn and Flip
3. Match the edges
Broken Hearts
Today, we will find the other half of the hearts and shapes hidden around the room!
Repair Shop is Open!
Go to your stations and start matching those shapes!
Broken Hearts Activity Broken Shape Match
Instructions: Cut along the dotted lines. Mix the pieces up. Have students find the matching halves to make the shapes whole again!
HEART
TRIANGLE
SQUARE
CIRCLE
Teacher Tip: Laminate these cards for multiple uses!
Puzzle Station Teacher Guide Shape Repair Shop
Lesson 2: Teacher Guide
Setup
Print and cut the "Broken Hearts" cards.
Hide one half of each card around the classroom (on tables, low shelves, taped to walls).
Keep the other halves to hand out to students.
The Hook
"The Broken Heart Emergency"
Hold up a half-heart. "Oh no! I was bringing these shapes to class, but they fell and broke! Now I only have half. Can you help me find the missing pieces?"
Activity Rotation
Station 1: The Great Hunt
Students take their "half" and search the room for the match. Once found, they must name the shape they "repaired".
Station 2: Inset Puzzles
Provide wooden inset puzzles. Encourage students to feel the "empty space" (the whole) before placing the piece (the part).
Station 3: Magnetic Match
Use magnetic tiles to build basic shapes (square out of 2 triangles). Show how two parts make one whole.
Guiding Questions
Visual Synthesis:
"Does that edge look straight or curvy?"
"What shape do we have now?"
Spatial Reasoning:
"Try turning it around. Does it fit now?"
"What happens if we flip it over?"
Tower Takedown Slides Tower Takedown
Hidden Shape Hunters
Building Big
A Castle!
When we build a Castle, we use many different blocks.
What blocks are hiding inside this tower?
The Takedown
We are going to be "Reverse Engineers." We will take the tower apart piece by piece!
Cubes
Cylinders
Arches
The Sorting Secret
"Take one block off..."
"...and put it with its friends!"
Un-Build It!
Can you find out how many circles are hiding in your castle's roof?
Structure Sort Worksheet Structure Sort
Detective Log: The Castle Takedown
Name: ___________________________________
Date: ___________
How to use: Take your tower apart one block at a time. For every block you take off, put a check mark or a X in the correct box below!
Shape How Many? (Mark them here) Cube
|
|
|
Cylinder
|
|
|
Long Block
|
|
|
Triangle
|
|
Reverse Engineering Complete
Block Blueprint Teacher Guide Tower Takedown
Lesson 3: Teacher Guide
Materials
• Sets of wooden unit blocks
• Pre-built "Mystery Castle" (built by teacher)
• Sorting bins labeled with shape icons
• Structure Sort Worksheets
• Clipboards for "engineers"
The Hook
Show a grand block castle. "I built this amazing castle, but I forgot which blocks I used! I need a team of Reverse Engineers to take it apart and tell me what's inside."
Facilitation Steps
1
Look & Analyze
Before touching the tower, have students point to different blocks. "What shape is the roof? What shape is holding it up?"
2
The Careful Takedown
Demonstrate taking one block from the top . Discuss why we start at the top (stability). Ask: "Now that I took this away, what's left?"
3
Sorting & Counting
Students work in small groups to dismantle their own structures. They must place each block in a matching bin and mark their recording sheet.
Observe For
• Can students identify 3D shapes (cube, cylinder)?
• Do they see how blocks are stacked to make new forms?
• Sorting accuracy.
Cleanup Tip
Use the sorting bins as a cleanup game! "Which team can find all the cylinders first?"
Art Spies Slides Art Spies
Hidden Shape Hunters
The Masterpiece
Some artists love to hide shapes in their paintings.
Can you spot them?
Detective Tool
Use your "Spyglass" to look closely at one shape at a time!
Color Clues
Red Circle
Blue Square
Yellow Triangle
Ready, Spies?
The gallery is open. Find every hidden shape!
Hidden Shape Hunt Worksheet Hidden Shape Hunt
Detective Level: Expert Artist
Name: ___________________________________
Date: ___________
Art Piece #402
Circles
Check when found
Triangles
Check when found
Rectangles
Check when found
Find all 7 hidden shapes to complete your mission!
Gallery Talk Teacher Guide Art Spies
Lesson 4: Teacher Guide
Tool Kit
• Paper towel tubes (Spyglasses)
• Prints of Kandinsky’s "Composition VIII" or Mondrian’s grid paintings
• Hidden Shape Hunt Worksheets
• Magnifying glasses
The Hook
"The Secret Message"
"Artists are like secret agents. They hide messages using shapes! Today, we’re going to use our spyglasses to uncover the shapes hiding in plain sight."
Visual Analysis Guide
Step 1: The First Look
Look at the whole picture. "How does this painting make you feel?" "What colors do you see?"
Step 2: Isolate (Spyglass Mode)
Have students look through their tubes. "Find just ONE circle. What color is it? Is it big or small?" This forces them to decompose the complex scene.
Step 3: The Scavenger Hunt
Move to the worksheet. Students must find specific shapes in the art piece provided on the page and 'tag' them by checking their list.
Discussion Starters
"Can a shape be inside another shape?"
"Which shape did the artist use the most?"
"If we took away the squares, what would be left?"
Extension
Have students create their own "Secret Agent Art" using only triangles and circles, then swap with a partner to "de-code" it.
Hexagon Heroes Slides Hexagon Heroes
Hidden Shape Hunters
The King of Shapes
This is a Hexagon.
It looks like ONE big shape, but it has a secret...
Triangle Magic
Look! 6 little triangles can make 1 big hexagon!
Many Ways
2 Trapezoids
3 Blue Rhombuses
Pattern Power!
How many different ways can YOU fill the hexagon? Let's find out!
Pattern Block Recipes Worksheet Pattern Block Recipes
Hexagon Chef: Cook up some shapes!
Name: ___________________________________
Date: ___________
Use your pattern blocks to fill each yellow hexagon. Draw or color the shapes you used!
Recipe #1
2
"The Double Scoop"
Recipe #2
6
"Triangle Tacos"
Recipe #3
3
"Blue Diamonds"
Recipe #4
"The Chef's Surprise"
Hexagon Heroes Pre-K Math / Geometry
Flexible Filler Teacher Guide Hexagon Heroes
Lesson 5: Teacher Guide
Shape Kit
• Large Yellow Hexagons (one per student/pair)
• Red Trapezoids
• Blue Rhombuses
• Green Triangles
• Pattern Block Recipes Worksheet
The Challenge
"The Hexagon Puzzle Master"
"Who can find the MOST ways to cover this yellow hexagon? If you find a new way, you’re a Hexagon Hero!"
Lesson Roadmap
1
Introduction to Pattern Blocks
Review the names and colors of each block. Explain that the yellow hexagon is the "base" we want to cover completely.
2
Guided Exploration
Ask students to find two blocks that fit exactly on the hexagon (the trapezoids). Then try 3, then 6. This establishes the basic "recipes."
3
Flexible Thinking (The Remix)
Challenge: "Can you use a red trapezoid AND some green triangles?" This encourages combining different types of decomposition.
Vocabulary Focus
• Hexagon: 6-sided shape.
• Combine: Putting shapes together.
• Equivalent: Different ways to make the same size.
Differentiation
Support: Provide pre-drawn outlines of the trapezoids within the hexagon to guide placement.
Challenge: Can you cover TWO hexagons using only triangles? How many did you need?
