Geometry with Elastic Bands (So fun!!)
The best lesson I have done yet: Shapes. Why was it the best? We used white elastic bands sewn in a loop as a prop for making and understanding triangles, rectangles, circles, squares, and more! The first part of the lesson consisted of one student creating the designated shape inside the elastic, while the rest of the class called out the defining characteristics (or "things that are special") about that shape. They experienced movement based on the features of each shape, such as dancing round and smooth for a circle, ending by melting to a ball on the ground. Or angular for a triangle and jumping 3 times (because it has three angles) to end in a shape with sharp angles. We observed and explored triangles, rectangles, circles, and squares in this way, and at the end, I even taught them about pentagons, which I made in the elastic by using my hands, feet, and head as the 5 vertices. Then, along with an explanation of the privilege of using an elastic, I gave each student