Audience
The intended audience for this curricular text set is a first grade class at a public elementary school in San Diego County, California. The school is in a high-income neighborhood, and the majority demographic is Caucasian (59%), followed by Latinx (22%), and Asian (14%). There are 20 students in the class, and most are currently at or above grade level for both reading and math. There are 4 students who have been referred to the reading intervention specialist team, two of whom are English language learners.
Purpose
The purpose of this set is to build early mathematics skills in geometry, including identifying shapes, composing and decomposing plane figures, and identifying parts of a whole. Many elements of the set are also intended to promote diversity in the classroom.
CA Common Core Standards Supported with this Text Set
Introduction to English Language Arts Standards: College and career-ready students “come to understand other perspectives and cultures ... Students actively seek to understand other perspectives and cultures through reading and listening, and they are able to communicate effectively with people of varied backgrounds. They evaluate other points of view critically and constructively.”
CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1: Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.
CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.2: Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.
CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.3: Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Describe the whole as two of, or four of the shares. Understand for these examples that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.
CA State Board of Education Visual and Performing Arts Standard 1.3: Identify the elements of art in objects in nature, in the environment, and in works of art, emphasizing line, color, shape/form, and texture.
CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1: Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.
CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.2: Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.
CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.3: Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Describe the whole as two of, or four of the shares. Understand for these examples that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.
CA State Board of Education Visual and Performing Arts Standard 1.3: Identify the elements of art in objects in nature, in the environment, and in works of art, emphasizing line, color, shape/form, and texture.
Anchor Text
Thong, R. G. (2015). Round is a tortilla. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
The anchor text for this set is Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Greenfield Thong. This picture book follows a young Latina girl around her home, neighborhood, and community as she recognizes shapes in the everyday objects around her. Round is a Tortilla is a bilingual book, with Spanish vocabulary interspersed throughout the narrative. The book’s Accelerated Reader ATOS book level is 2.1, it has a DRA of 16, and is at Guided Reading Level I, making it appropriate for year-end first grade to early second grade. These measures, taken together, indicate that the book meets the complexity standards for 1st grade instruction with teacher guidance. The book reinforces shape identification and the attributes of different shapes, which is part of CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1: Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes. This text is intended to be presented via teacher-led instruction as a read-aloud. Additionally, there are ample opportunities to make connections to Spanish language and Latinx culture through the references in the book, making it useful for promoting diversity in the classroom and ensuring that all students can “see themselves” in the books read as a class.
The anchor text for this set is Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Greenfield Thong. This picture book follows a young Latina girl around her home, neighborhood, and community as she recognizes shapes in the everyday objects around her. Round is a Tortilla is a bilingual book, with Spanish vocabulary interspersed throughout the narrative. The book’s Accelerated Reader ATOS book level is 2.1, it has a DRA of 16, and is at Guided Reading Level I, making it appropriate for year-end first grade to early second grade. These measures, taken together, indicate that the book meets the complexity standards for 1st grade instruction with teacher guidance. The book reinforces shape identification and the attributes of different shapes, which is part of CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1: Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes. This text is intended to be presented via teacher-led instruction as a read-aloud. Additionally, there are ample opportunities to make connections to Spanish language and Latinx culture through the references in the book, making it useful for promoting diversity in the classroom and ensuring that all students can “see themselves” in the books read as a class.
Text Set
a) Text: Thong, R. G. (2014). Round is a mooncake. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction as a read-aloud.
Grade level: At 1st grade level - ATOS 2.9, Guided Reading Level I, DRA 16.
Common Core Standards: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1, Introduction to English Language Arts Standards
Round is a Mooncake is structured similarly to our anchor text, Round is a Tortilla, with the central concept of shape identification through everyday objects. However, in this book the author shifts to focus on celebrating Chinese culture.
b) Text: Emberley, E. (2015 [reprint]). The wing on a flea. Los Angeles, CA: AMMO Books.
Intended use: Independent reading or partner reading to reinforce shape identification and recognizing shapes in nature.
Grade level: At 1st grade level - Lexile NP420L, Guided Reading Level G, DRA 12
Common Core Standards: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1
While The Wing on a Flea was originally published in 1961, its charming illustrations and focus on basic shapes, along with simple text in rhyming verses, make it still relevant for first graders today. Emberley points out basic shapes in nature through his line drawings of various animals.
c) Text: Tompert, A. (1997). Grandfather Tang’s story: A tale told with tangrams. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books.
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction as a read-aloud followed by supplemental learning activities about tangrams.
Grade level: Above 1st grade level - ATOS 3.7, Lexile 660L, Guided Reading Level N, DRA 30
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1, CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.2, Introduction to English Language Arts Standards
This story introduces a traditional Chinese geometry puzzle, the tangram, wherein a piece of paper cut into squares can be rearranged to create new shapes. The narrative presents this puzzle through a young girl listening to her grandfather’s stories about two fox-fairies who can change their shape, as each creature tries to out-do the other with increasingly impressive geometric transformations.
d) Text: Pallotta, J. (2004). Icky bug shapes. New York, NY: Scholastic Books.
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction as a read-aloud
Grade level: Above 1st grade level - ATOS 3.0, Guided Reading Level M, DRA 28
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1
Icky Bug Shapes is engaging and fun for first graders with its visually-compelling insect images and “gross-out” visuals. Exaggerated geometric shapes of insect bodies demonstrate the many simple shapes that occur in nature.
e) Text: McElligott, M. (2012). The lion’s share. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction or peer groups with very advanced readers and/or students with high math skills
Grade level: Above 1st grade level - Lexile AD550L, Guided Reading Level P, ATOS 3.4
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.3
This picture book introduces the foundations of fractions and multiplication through a story about jungle animals attempting to share the king lion’s cake by cutting it in half over and over again. They then attempt to impress the king by promising to bake him new cakes by doubling each previously offered quantity.
f) Text: Hoban, T. (1996). Shapes shapes shapes. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.
Intended use: Partner reading to reinforce shape identification. Could also be used for small group instruction with students who are below grade level in either reading or math.
Grade level: Below 1st grade level - Guided Reading Level D, DRA 5
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1
Shapes Shapes Shapes is a wordless book, filled with beautiful high-contrast photos of buildings, nature, and objects with naturally-occurring and man-made shapes. Children follow the photos on a journey through common neighborhood places as they learn to recognize and identify the many shapes around them every day.
g) Text: Shapes poems - First grade poetry collection (n.d.). “Shapes poems.” [Unpublished volume].
Note: I have a collection of poems about shapes and fractions that my mother gathered over 30 years of teaching first grade. Most of them are unattributed, as they were written by a variety of first grade teachers and grade-level teams specifically for first grade math instruction. They were handed down to me and are now in binders in my library, and I make them available as an instructional supplement to the first grade team at my school. They would also be included in this particular curricular text set.
Intended use: Students can read the poems aloud to each other in partners or small groups. They could also be used for teacher-led instruction.
Grade level: At grade level (created specifically for 1st grade curriculum)
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1, CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.3
These simple, funny poems are intended to teach shape identification and simple fractions (halves, quarters, wholes) in an engaging, memorable way.
h) Text: Kandinsky large-format art prints and online art gallery -
Kandinsky, W. (1923). Black and violet. Munich, Germany: Private collection. [Art print].
Kandinsky, W. (1913). Color study. Squares with concentric circles. Munich, Germany: The Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus. [Art print].
Online gallery: http://www.wassilykandinsky.net/painting1896-1944.php
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction with supplemental art activities.
Grade level: Above grade level
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1, CA State Board of Education Visual and Performing Arts Standard 1.3
Wassily Kandinsky was an abstract artist famous for his geometrically-driven paintings, and students will enjoy pointing out the variety of shapes that are incorporated into his art. Additionally, studying Kandinsky lends itself well to supplemental art projects, such as the ones outlined on the it’s art day and Teach Beside Me blogs.
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction as a read-aloud.
Grade level: At 1st grade level - ATOS 2.9, Guided Reading Level I, DRA 16.
Common Core Standards: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1, Introduction to English Language Arts Standards
Round is a Mooncake is structured similarly to our anchor text, Round is a Tortilla, with the central concept of shape identification through everyday objects. However, in this book the author shifts to focus on celebrating Chinese culture.
b) Text: Emberley, E. (2015 [reprint]). The wing on a flea. Los Angeles, CA: AMMO Books.
Intended use: Independent reading or partner reading to reinforce shape identification and recognizing shapes in nature.
Grade level: At 1st grade level - Lexile NP420L, Guided Reading Level G, DRA 12
Common Core Standards: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1
While The Wing on a Flea was originally published in 1961, its charming illustrations and focus on basic shapes, along with simple text in rhyming verses, make it still relevant for first graders today. Emberley points out basic shapes in nature through his line drawings of various animals.
c) Text: Tompert, A. (1997). Grandfather Tang’s story: A tale told with tangrams. New York, NY: Dragonfly Books.
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction as a read-aloud followed by supplemental learning activities about tangrams.
Grade level: Above 1st grade level - ATOS 3.7, Lexile 660L, Guided Reading Level N, DRA 30
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1, CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.2, Introduction to English Language Arts Standards
This story introduces a traditional Chinese geometry puzzle, the tangram, wherein a piece of paper cut into squares can be rearranged to create new shapes. The narrative presents this puzzle through a young girl listening to her grandfather’s stories about two fox-fairies who can change their shape, as each creature tries to out-do the other with increasingly impressive geometric transformations.
d) Text: Pallotta, J. (2004). Icky bug shapes. New York, NY: Scholastic Books.
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction as a read-aloud
Grade level: Above 1st grade level - ATOS 3.0, Guided Reading Level M, DRA 28
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1
Icky Bug Shapes is engaging and fun for first graders with its visually-compelling insect images and “gross-out” visuals. Exaggerated geometric shapes of insect bodies demonstrate the many simple shapes that occur in nature.
e) Text: McElligott, M. (2012). The lion’s share. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction or peer groups with very advanced readers and/or students with high math skills
Grade level: Above 1st grade level - Lexile AD550L, Guided Reading Level P, ATOS 3.4
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.3
This picture book introduces the foundations of fractions and multiplication through a story about jungle animals attempting to share the king lion’s cake by cutting it in half over and over again. They then attempt to impress the king by promising to bake him new cakes by doubling each previously offered quantity.
f) Text: Hoban, T. (1996). Shapes shapes shapes. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.
Intended use: Partner reading to reinforce shape identification. Could also be used for small group instruction with students who are below grade level in either reading or math.
Grade level: Below 1st grade level - Guided Reading Level D, DRA 5
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1
Shapes Shapes Shapes is a wordless book, filled with beautiful high-contrast photos of buildings, nature, and objects with naturally-occurring and man-made shapes. Children follow the photos on a journey through common neighborhood places as they learn to recognize and identify the many shapes around them every day.
g) Text: Shapes poems - First grade poetry collection (n.d.). “Shapes poems.” [Unpublished volume].
Note: I have a collection of poems about shapes and fractions that my mother gathered over 30 years of teaching first grade. Most of them are unattributed, as they were written by a variety of first grade teachers and grade-level teams specifically for first grade math instruction. They were handed down to me and are now in binders in my library, and I make them available as an instructional supplement to the first grade team at my school. They would also be included in this particular curricular text set.
Intended use: Students can read the poems aloud to each other in partners or small groups. They could also be used for teacher-led instruction.
Grade level: At grade level (created specifically for 1st grade curriculum)
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1, CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.3
These simple, funny poems are intended to teach shape identification and simple fractions (halves, quarters, wholes) in an engaging, memorable way.
h) Text: Kandinsky large-format art prints and online art gallery -
Kandinsky, W. (1923). Black and violet. Munich, Germany: Private collection. [Art print].
Kandinsky, W. (1913). Color study. Squares with concentric circles. Munich, Germany: The Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus. [Art print].
Online gallery: http://www.wassilykandinsky.net/painting1896-1944.php
Intended use: Teacher-led instruction with supplemental art activities.
Grade level: Above grade level
Common Core Standard: CA Mathematics Standard 1.G.1, CA State Board of Education Visual and Performing Arts Standard 1.3
Wassily Kandinsky was an abstract artist famous for his geometrically-driven paintings, and students will enjoy pointing out the variety of shapes that are incorporated into his art. Additionally, studying Kandinsky lends itself well to supplemental art projects, such as the ones outlined on the it’s art day and Teach Beside Me blogs.