Polygons Lesson Plan: What Makes a Shape a Polygon

Grade Levels: K-3

This lesson plan, adaptable for grades K-3, invites students to explore BrainPOP Jr. resources to learn about what makes a shape a polygon. After identifying the properties of a polygon, students will use the Make-a-Map tool to classify shapes.

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Grade: 01

CCSS.Math.Content.1.G.A.1

Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.

Grade: 02

CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.1

Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes, such as a given number of angles or a given number of equal faces.1 Identify triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and cubes.

Grade: 03

CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1

Understand that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals). Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these subcategories.

Grade: K

CCSS.Math.Content.K.G.A.2

Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.

Grade: K

CCSS.Math.Content.K.G.B.4

Analyze and compare two- and three-dimensional shapes, in different sizes and orientations, using informal language to describe their similarities, differences, parts (e.g., number of sides and vertices/“corners”) and other attributes (e.g., having sides of equal length).

Students will:

Work in pairs to understand the differences between shapes that are polygons and shapes that are not.
Look for polygons in their surrounding environment and classify them.

Materials:

Internet access for BrainPOP
Interactive whiteboard
Paper
Markers

Vocabulary:

vertices, quadrilaterals, polygon, hexagon, pentagon, nonagon, heptagon

Preparation:

Preview the movie Polygons to plan for adaptations.
Assign the Polygons Make-a-Map using Assignment Builder.

Lesson Procedure:

Before watching the movie, distribute paper to each student and ask them to draw as many different kinds of shapes as they can. Encourage them to be creative and to not draw the same shape twice.
After students have finished drawing, play the Polygons movie and watch it together as a class.
Watch the movie again, this time ask students to pay close attention to the rules of what makes a shape a polygon.
After watching the movie a second time, write the “Rules of a Polygon” on the board together as a class:
- Polygons are closed shapes, which means the sides connect together.
- Lines cannot intersect
- A polygon is a shape with at least three straight sides.
Ask students to revisit the shapes that they had drawn earlier, and compare their shapes to the rules. They can review their shapes with a partner and work together to label the shapes “polygons” or “not polygons” with two different colors.
Finally, go on a polygon scavenger hunt. Invite students to find examples in the classroom, the cafeteria, the library, the playground, and more!

Filed as: CCSS.Math.Content.1.G.A.1, CCSS.Math.Content.2.G.A.1, CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1, CCSS.Math.Content.K.G.A.2, CCSS.Math.Content.K.G.B.4, K-3, Polygons