Materials
balance beam (low to the ground)
sidewalk chalk
12" cardstock shapes, cut into halves
Instructions
Use sidewalk chalk to draw 12" shapes randomly around the playground
area.
What to Do
1. Invite the children to line up at one end of the balance beam.
2. Hand each child a shape half.
3. Have the children cross the balance beam, one at a time, carrying the shape
piece with them.
4. Once the children step down from the beam, ask each of them to find a shape
on the ground that matches their shape halves, and then set their shape halves
beside the matching chalk shapes.
5. Continue the activity until all the shapes are complete with two halves.
Teacher - to - Teacher Tip S
l You can play this in the classroom using paper shapes on the floor. If you don't
have a balance beam, simply tape a length of masking tape to the floor for
children to walk across.
l For extra fun, set a shape on the beam and see if the children can walk to the
shape, pick it up, and then continue across the beam without falling off the
beam.
l Consider explaining to the children that the matching halves of a shape are
mirror images of one another, and that they make a symmetrical shape when
you join them.
Assessment
To assess the children's learning, consider the following:
l Can the children cross the balance beam without falling off?
l Can the children divide the chalk shapes in half?
l Can the children identify the shapes, even when divided in half?
