Geometric Cabinet

Material

  • A wooden cabinet with 6 trays. 
    • Presentation tray: A square, a circle, an equilateral triangle, 3 wooden squares that go between the other shapes.
    • First tray: 6 circles decreasing in diameter from 10cm to 5cm.
    • Second tray: A square 10 x 10cm, 5 rectangles 10 x 9cm, 10 x 8cm, 10 x 7cm, 10 x 6cm, 10x5cm
    • Third tray: 6 triangles: equilateral, right-angled isosceles, acute-angled isosceles, obtuse angled isosceles, right-angled scalene and obtuse angled scalene.
    • Fourth tray: 6 regular polygons: pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon.
    • Fifth tray: 1 rhombus and 1 rhomboid, 1 trapezoid,1 trapezium, 2 wooden squares.
    • Sixth tray: 4 curvilinear figures: oval, ellipse, curved triangle and a quatrefoil, 2 wooden squares. 
  • 3 sets of cards: 
    • First Set: On each card is one of the shapes above and in each case the whole area of each of the geometric shapes is shaded in.
    • Second Set: The shapes are not shaded in, but have a shaded outline about a centimeter wide.
    • Third Set: Just the perimeter of each of the shapes is outlined with a thin line.

Direct aim of the material

To readily recognize and name geometric shapes.

Indirect aim of the material

There are several indirect aims:

  1. The muscular coordination gained when trying to fit in the geometric designs,
  2. The ability to abstract ideas from the concrete material,
  3. The learning of a geometric vocabulary. 
  4. And the main indirect aim of all, a preparation for writing because the child feels the curves and the points, as he feels with the writing fingers round each geometric shape. He also holds each of the geometric shapes with the writing fingers holding the knob.

Control of error

  • For the frames and insets, the control of error is in the material, as the shapes will only fit correctly in their corresponding frames. 
  • For the cards and shapes, the control of error is visual.The design on the card must be exactly covered by each figure when it is placed on it.

Age of great interest

From 2½ years onwards through nursery and junior ages.

First Presentation

  1. Using the presentation tray, place the square, the largest circle, the equilateral triangle, and put 3 wooden squares to isolate the shapes from each other.
  2. Show the child how to carry the tray carefully, place it on the table or on a mat on the floor.
  3. Using the right index, thumb and the middle finger, hold the insets by the knob and remove them one at a time.
  4. Mix them on the table or mat.
  5. Show the child how to replace them. Ask the child if he would like to do it. If he does it correctly add 2 or 3 more contrasting shapes, e.g.the oval, the quatrefoil and the pentagon.
  6. Exchange their shapes with their frames for the wooden squares. Mix all the shapes and ask the child to replace them.
  7. Add gradually more figures until the child recognises each of the figures easily.

Second Presentation

  1. Starting with any tray, show the child how to carry the tray carefully. Place it on the table or on a mat on the floor. 
  2. Using the right index finger, thumb and the middle finger, hold each inset by the knob and remove them one at a time. Mix them on the table or mat. Pick up one of the insets holding it by the knob. With the index finger of the right hand, feel around the contour of the shape. Feel the interior contour of the corresponding frame. Place the shape in the frame. 
  3. Show the child how to do the same with another figure. Guide the child’s hands, and fingers, if necessary. Let the child replace all the other shapes: feeling each time the shape as well as the interior contour of the same frame.

Later, give a language lesson when the child has completed his initial interests in the geometric figures.

Third Presentation

  1. Show the child how to take out the first tray. Place it on the table or on a mat on the floor. 
  2. First Exercise: Ask him to take out the circles holding each by the knob, and mix them. Ask the child to replace the circles in their corresponding frames, feeling both shape and interior contour of the frame.
  3. Second exercise: Ask the child to take out the circles and mix them, and then to take out the frames and mix them on the mat or the table. Ask the child to replace the circles in the corresponding frames. Ask him to arrange the frames with their circles in graded order, going from the largest to the smallest.
  4. Third exercise: When he is familiar with the circle tray introduce each of the other trays in turn. When he can mix and grade each tray separately he then mixes two trays putting them back into their right places; then 3 trays, until the child can mix all the shapes in the cabinet and replace and grade them all.

Fourth Presentation

Now that the child can recognise all the shapes in the cabinet, introduce him to the cards.

  1. Take out any of the four trays. 
  2. Take the corresponding first set of cards (with the whole area shaded in)
  3. Mix the cards on the table. 
  4. Ask him to arrange them in their proper order. 
  5. Ask him to place on each card the corresponding shape; feeling round the wooden shape.

Exercises

  1. Introduce each of the other trays with their corresponding first set of cards. 
  2. When he has worked with each of the trays, let him mix two together with their corresponding first set of cards. 
  3. Now do the same with the second set of cards, and finally the third set of cards. 
  4. Now that he can fit the shapes onto the outline only, take one tray and three corresponding sets of cards. Ask him to arrange the first set in graded order, then immediately below, the second set. Immediately below that, the third set. Then ask the child to take the first shape from the tray, to trace its contour with the right index finger and do the same round the contour of the first card and place the shape on it. When all the shapes are placed on the first set of cards invite the child to take one shape at a time, again feel it, touch the perimeter on the second set of cards and place the shape on it. When all these shapes have been placed on the second set of cards tell the child to do the same for the third set. 
  5. Later the child works with two trays at a time with their corresponding three sets of cards, then with three trays, etc., until he can work with all the shapes in the cabinets and the full 3 sets.

 

Additional Games, comparisons

  1. With the graded shapes: Place some of the shapes on a table, the rest of the set on another table. Ask the child to bring a circle or a rectangle immediately smaller or larger. Do this with one tray only. Later mix two trays and so on, until all the cabinet is used.
  2. With cards and shapes: Mix the shapes on one table and the cards on another at the other end of the room. Show the child a shape and ask him to bring the corresponding card.Do this first with one tray and gradually add the others.
  3. Show the child a card and ask him to bring the corresponding shape. These games may be done with groups of children as well as with one child.
  4. Mix one each of all the different shapes on a table or mat. Ask the child to bring you the circle or the square or the rectangle. Then mix all the polygons on a table and ask the child to bring you the pentagon or the decagon, etc.
  5. Mix all the triangles on the table. Ask the child to bring you the obtuse angled triangle or the scalene triangle. Ask always for a particular type.
  6. Do these exercises with the cards-using the first set then the second and finally the third, until they can recognise all of these forms in their abstract representations.

Language

The names of the shapes may be given at any age when he asks. Otherwise we name the shapes after the child has enjoyed putting the shapes into the right places.