Shapes: Winter Snowflakes

Eliza Arai

PROCEDURE:

1. Warm-up. (5 min) Bring a small stuffed animal or toy to class. By winter, the students have probably learned certain phrases. I quiz them by asking questions like: a) How are you? b) What is your name? c) Where are you from? d) How old are you? As I ask them the question I pass the toy. When they answer it they pass it back. For more advanced classes I have them pass it to another student and ask a question after giving their answer.

2. Vocabulary Introduction. (5 min) Teach them the words for various shapes (circle, heart, rectangle, square, star, and triangle). I used flashcards, but you can alternatively draw the shapes on the chalkboard. Say the word and have the students repeat. I try saying each word three times fast and have the students repeat to keep them on their toes and a little more interested.

3. Game: Balloon Toss. (5 min) Have the students arrange their seats in a circle. The object of the game is to keep the balloon afloat. Leave the flashcards up so the students can easily see the vocabulary words. Start the balloon by hitting it up and saying a shape. Before the next student is allowed to hit the balloon they must say a different shape.

4. Game: Shapes On Back. (5 min) Have the students form teams. Depending on the number of students in the class, the number of teams will vary. Each team forms a line. Have all the students face the front of the class. Then, use your finger to draw a shape on the back of the last student in each line. Once you have drawn the shape on the back of one student from each team have the teams start. Each student must draw the shape they thought was drawn on their back, on the back of the student in front of them. When the first student in line thinks they know the shape they come to the chalkboard and draw it. Then you confirm the shape by asking them to say it out loud. You can keep a tally of points for right answers.

5. Snowflakes. (25 min) Now that the students have a pretty good grasp of the shape vocabulary, you can start on their winter activity. You can point outside and ask them what they see. Chances are they will say, “SNOW!” Then you can explain that today they are going to make winter snowflakes (yuki no kesshou). Have the students take out their scissors. Give each student one sheet of white paper. Show them how to make a square out of the rectangular (A4) paper. Next have them fold their square paper into a triangle. Folding the paper 3 times usually allows for a good thickness to still be able to cut through. Then have them cut out different shapes into their paper. Explain that in order to make a heart or star you only need to cut-out half of the shape because once you open it, the whole shape will be exposed. When the students are done cutting they can either take the snowflakes home to decorate their own rooms or the teacher can tape the snowflakes on the classroom windows for winter fun.

NOTES:

You can also incorporate a Christmas theme with this lesson. You can teach them a song like “Jingle Bells” or “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Winter snowflakes can serve as Christmas decorations. The games can be substituted with other activities like karuta, pictionary, races etc. Also, have plenty of extra white paper on hand because some students work faster and want to make more, while others’ scissors go crazy and eat their paper so they need an extra to take another shot at it.