A Picture Is Worth A 1000 Words

I continue to have a great time making word art with Tagxedo.

I had written an article about this wonderful site last month and I’m once again happily fooling around with it today, making anchor chart shape posters.

I figure if we expect students to learn the shapes, as well as recognize the words for them, why not make a word shape poster!

If they see the words written right in the shape, that should help right?

I made the time to do this so you wouldn’t have to! Woo hoo!

I chose different colors for the various shapes and included the star, crescent, diamond, heart  to the mix of standard flat shapes.

I’ve noticed on chat rings, that some poor teachers actually have to teach the hexagon as well as the pentagon shapes!

What rocket scientist decided a 5-year-old could wrap their head around those shapes?

Honestly, at least when they threw the octagon our way we could explain it with the stop sign! I’ve included them + the octagon, in case you need the help.

I’ve also made posters for the 3-D shapes, since  the same ivory tower fella’s felt those shapes would be age-appropriate for Y5’s and Kindergarten kiddo’s too.

What next the Einstein theory?  I think it’s time they asked some teachers to be part of the committees.  What say you?

Any hoo, hopefully this will help turn a few light bulbs on! 

Since the 3D shapes are a bit harder to distinguish in word art, I've also included a picture of a "real" 3D object on the poster.

I feel when you're teaching shapes it is easier for students to understand them if you can put them in real world context and have children spy the shapes they see around them.

i.e. This is a rectangle.  A door is a rectangle.

Besides using them as anchor charts to help students remember the shapes and associate that particular shape with that word, you can also use them as jumbo flashcards; or shrink them to make Concentration Memory Match games for students.

Another way to help children remember shapes is to show how they are different. Put 2 posters next to each other and have students compare and contrast them.

I like doing this with a Venn diagram and often use hula hoops to start.

Play what's the shape?  Each day put one of the shape posters face down on the board. 

Give clues about the shape and have the students guess which one is the mystery shape of the day that is "hiding". 

Make a shape bulletin board and display all of them there. Take one away and ask students which one is missing.

Pass the posters out to students and play I have; Who has? "I have the circle shape.  Who has the triangle shape?"

Play "I'm Thinking Of A Shape." Start giving clues and have students guess which shape you are describing. 

Finally, reveal which one it is by showing them the poster.

Click on the link to view/download Word Art Shape Posters

For those of you who are still in school, I hope things are really shaping up with your little ones, and that you are having a great end-of-the-year winding down time.

Feel free to PIN anything you think might be interesting or helpful to someone else.

Hope you can visit tomorrow for an adorable summer writing prompt to see how to make a quick and easy creative writing "craftivity"kid.