Primary Colors Quadrilateral Robot
Developed by: Jenny Knappenberger, Fine Arts Instructor at Nash Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona
Lesson Plan Ideas
Learning Objective
For Grades: 3, 4 & 5
Math + Art = FUN! Learn about quadrilaterals while designing and constructing a robot. Show students an example of a robot made up of only quadrilateral shapes. Instruct students that they are to create their robot using ONLY the quadrilateral shapes of squares, rectangles, rhombuses, parallelograms, trapezoids and kites. Encourage students to use their imaginations to create a robot of their own design!
Common Core Standards
CCSS.Math.Content.3.G.A.1
Understand that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals). Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these subcategories.
CCSS.Math.Content.4.G.A.2
Classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines, or the presence or absence of angles of a specified size. Recognize right triangles as a category, and identify right triangles.
CCSS.Math.Content.5.G.B.3
Understand that attributes belonging to a category of two-dimensional figures also belong to all subcategories of that category. For example, all rectangles have four right angles and squares are rectangles, so all squares have four right angles.
CCSS.Math.Content.5.G.B.4
Classify two-dimensional figures in a hierarchy based on properties.
Project Steps:
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Step 1:
Teach students what quadrilaterals are. Use the handout provided in this lesson to instruct on the definitions of quadrilaterals and show the shapes of each type.
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Step 2:
Draw each quadrilateral shape on the board; square, rectangle, trapezoid, rhombus, parallelogram and kite. Instruct students that they will be making a robot using only these shapes. Encourage them to use their imaginations to create their robots.
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Step 3:
Give students a 12” x 18” sheet of black paper and a variety of primary colors (red, yellow and blue) construction paper. You can also give students white if you would like them to use it.
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Step 4:
Give students scissors and have them cut out quadrilateral shapes for the body, head, arms, & legs using the primary colored construction paper (students should not glue yet). Some students like to use a pencil at this step and first draw the shape before they cut it out. Other students like to cut without drawing first. Let the artists decide how they would like to solve this. Encourage student to describe the quadrilateral shapes they are making to one another.
