Shapes & Spatial Relations
Storybook Guide Based on Eleanor May’s “Albert is Not Scared”
Disponible en español
Activity Summary
Use this storybook guide with the book “Changes, Changes.”
Many public libraries have this book.
Reading guide
About the Story
“Changes, Changes” is a whimsical, wordless story about a man and woman who build a house out of blocks. When the house catches on fire, they build a fire truck. The couple continues to rearrange the blocks and build new structures until they make a new home.
Words to Learn
NAMES AND PROPERTIES OF SHAPES
cylinder, rectangle, triangle, curved, straight
LOCATION WORDS
over, under, beneath, below, above, beside, between, left, right
About the Math
By examining the shapes and their spatial arrangement, your child can learn:
- To identify and name shapes like cylinder triangle, and rectangle.
- To describe some properties of shapes, like the four sides of a rectangle, or the roundness of a cylinder.
- To use relational words to describe where the shapes are located, such as under, over, left, or right.
- To notice symmetry in the pictures.
Math Talk During Reading
- EXPLORE THE SHAPES
What do you notice about this shape? Do you know what this shape is called? What does this part look like? - TALK ABOUT HOW THE SHAPES ARE DIFFERENT AND THE SAME
Point to two different shapes and say: Look at this one and that one. How are they the same and how are they different? How do you know? - EXAMINE WHERE THE OBJECTS ARE LOCATED IN THE ILLUSTRATIONS
What do you see below this shape? Where is the man located? - FIND EXAMPLES OF SYMMETRY
Do you see that this half of the house looks the same as that half? We can say the two halves are symmetrical.
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments, too!
Activity After Reading
- ASK YOUR CHILD TO MAKE STRUCTURES
Let’s use these blocks to make a beautiful house.