Shape Detectives @ Home

This lesson uses resources from Landmark West’s Shape Detectives program. This lesson targets lower elementary school grades, primarily kindergarten and first grade. Simply click the menus below to access additional information.

Finding shapes in architecture

There are shapes all around us. What are some of the shapes that you can see from where you are sitting now? Can you see any of these?

Some of you may know some 3D shapes too – can you see any of these around you, or outside a window?

How about when we look at buildings? What shapes might we see then? Perhaps rectangles or squares for windows. Bricks are often rectangular too. This is a view from an apartment window – what shapes can you see?

Let’s have a go at finding more shapes in other buildings. Click on the link below to get started!

Shapes in our buildings

Now we know how to find shapes in buildings, let’s try it ourselves using this Worksheet 1 below (right click on the image to save as, and then print from the downloaded file).

(or use this link for a PDF: Shape Detectives Week 1)

To start you will need a print out of the worksheet and 5 different colored pencils or markers. The video below will help you get started. And, if you’d like to, you can share them with us here at LandmarkWest! at education@landmarkwest.org or on social media using the hashtag #kpf @landmarkwest on social media.

Finding shapes outside

Typically we stretch our legs and walk the streets around your school, searching for shapes in our buildings, signs, seats, sidewalks and anywhere else our eye travels! You still may be able to do this, taking account of proper social distancing of course. But if you can’t, you can use our virtual street walk instead! As you walk the streets around PS 163 on West 97th Street, keep an eye out for all the shapes we’ve been finding already.

Using this Shape Hunt, cross off with an X all the shapes you see. Use the extra rectangles to draw other shapes you find.

If you’ve finished the Shape Hunt, try this Shape Scavenger Hunt worksheet out next. Below are two examples to look at if you need help.

If you can’t print it at home, just use a blank sheet of paper instead.

So, what do you need to draw?

Find each shape in a building or outside and draw it!

We’d love to see your drawings, so, if you’d like to, once you’ve done yours you can send them to us here at LandmarkWest! at education@landmarkwest.org or share your creations with us using the hashtag #kpf @landmarkwest on social media.

Building with shapes

For our final art project we will be creating our own buildings, just like the ones in the pictures below (click on the image to enlarge).

When we come to your classroom we bring ALL the materials with us – pre-cut rectangles, colorful squares, and lots of triangles! At home we’ll have to be a little more creative and inventive!

Here’s what you will need:

1 large piece of paper
1 large rectangle, 2 large squares, 4 small squares, 4 small rectangles, 2 large triangles, 2 small triangles.
Glue
Colored pencils or markers

Always remember to set your pieces out on your large piece of paper first. Once you are happy with it, and maybe after someone older than you has looked over it, then you can glue (remember, less is more when it comes to glue – you only need a little bit!). Once everything is glued down then you can color and add details as you like.

Need some help? Check out our video:

This is how mine turned out:

We’d love to see your buildings, so, if you’d like to, once you’ve done yours you can send them to us here at LandmarkWest! at education@landmarkwest.org or share your creations with us using the hashtag #kpf @landmarkwest on social media.