Analysis Of The Greedy Triangle By Marilyn Burns

The math concept of Geometry or shapes will be taught to a second-grade classroom during and after the reading of The Greedy Triangle (1994) by Marilyn Burns. We will discuss the different shapes, their attributes, how they are used and how many sides and angles each shape has.
The Greedy Triangle (Burns, 1994), is a story about a triangle that is dissatisfied with being a triangle and thinks being another shape would be more fun. The triangle goes to the shape shifter and asks to have another side and angle added. This starts the triangle, on a journey of changing shapes from a triangle to eventually a dodecagon. Each page, talks about how many sides and angles the triangle has acquired and what that shape can become. At the end of the book the triangle decides he is happy being a triangle and enjoys all of the things he can do as a triangle.
The SOL, for the State of Connecticut, that matches this concept is: Reason with shapes and their attributes.
2G.1: Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes such as a given number of angles or given number of equal faces (Note: Sizes are compared directly or visually, not compared by measuring.) Identify triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons and cubes.

For this lesson, I will read the students in my second-grade classroom the book The Greedy Triangle (1994) by Marilyn Burns.

I will have different shaped blocks that are mentioned in the book and have the students hold one during the reading and when I get to that page they will hold up the corresponding block. We will also write down that shape on a large paper along with the number of sides and angles each shape has. This will be left up in the classroom as a reference point for the students. After the reading, we will a short discussion on the different shapes mentioned in the book and I will have the students think about these shapes and where they have seen them used in everyday

life.
Activities:
First, the students will complete is a small book where they will draw one shape per page, label the shape and number of sides the shape has.
Next, the students will go on a shape hunt in the Epic books app where they will look for books on each shape and identify between 1 and 3 different ways that shapes are used in real-life. The number of ways that shapes are used will be assigned by ability level with most students striving for 3 different ways. For example, they will look up a book on circles and identify three ways circles are used. This can be done with either a sentence or just the word, ie; The car uses tires which are in the shape of a circle. Or Tires are circles. This activity gives students of all abilities the opportunity to participate in their own way while also learning about how shapes are used every day in different ways.
Finally, at the end of the lesson the students will come together and share what they learned about their shapes attributes and how they are used in every day life. We will then share a small snack of fruit cut into different shapes and identify which shapes were cut out.