These printable 2D shape challenge cards are perfect for young children learning about 2D shapes and their attributes while making differentiation easy for teachers.
We've been focusing on 2D shapes in our classroom this past month. We been exploring the basic 2D shapes with different books, through shape art activities and during hands-on play which is a big part of any early childhood setting. You can read that post by clicking here.
I love using blocks in class and these wooden pattern blocks have been a firm favourite since I was a child.
Pattern blocks are irresistible but I wanted to extend the type of play I was seeing while creating an opportunity for children to read independently and problem solve too. With that in mind, I created these different sets of printable 2D shape challenge cards to go with our pattern blocks.
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These new challenge cards are centred around 2D shapes and I have created three different sets of cards.
The first set are templates of different shapes which we have been using as an invitation to play. Some children have been laying the blocks directly onto the shape template while others have been building theirs next to the card.
It's allowed us to talk about each shape's attributes during play while helping develop their hand-eye co-ordination.
As an extension to this, I created some cards with just the outline of the shapes to invite children to work out how to fill them. Lots of trial and error while the children worked with these cards.
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Each card provides them with a question - Can you build...? Along with the number of shapes required to achieve.
I've created some simple ones to get started along with some harder cards which use more shapes.
Altogether there are more than 160 different cards ready to print out and challenge the children in your class!
Early readers can be taught to use these cards independently as I've incorporated images to help support their reading.
They might not be able to read the word square but can recognise the shape they see and the colours of the different pattern blocks which are uniform.
These cards can be used as a lesson on shape or to create independent math centers.
Talk your students through the first one and then away they will go!
'Did you make a hexagon?'
'Yes!'
'And did you use 9 rhombuses and 1 hexagon to make it?'
'1, 2, 3....'
It really was that easy for 5-7 year olds in my class.
'I am excited to add this resource to my STEAM bins! Students love pattern blocks and this a great way for them to be creative! Thank you!' Kara T
'These cards are fantastic for problem solving and provide enough variety and just the right amount of stretch to make it challenging for my class.' Sandy G
'Great tool to have in our math area. Students love it and we love it as teachers. Thank you!' Christina L
'Great quality as always and so good for differentiation. Thank you!' Cordelia
'I love these cards and how I can use these to differentiate!' Lexi G
The perfect addition to your pattern blocks, these challenge cards ask students to make a variety of 2D shapes from pattern blocks.
This set includes -
Six focus shapes - triangle, square, trapezoid, hexagon, rectangle and rhombus/diamond, three different types of cards, 60 cards designs to choose between!
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