Shape Composer—Units of Units (3D)

Makes complex towers or other structures, involving multiple levels with ceilings (fitting the ceilings), and adult-like structures with blocks, including arches and other substructures. 

Activities

You may see this:

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Other Examples:

  • A child builds a row of arches and adds arches on top of those, with a wall to connect both sides. Adds mystical creatures in and around the castle. 

Help your student become a(n) Shape Composer—Units of Units (3D)

Activities  often involve creative construction with blocks and other construction manipulatives, with the teacher noticing, describing, and encouraging types of 3D composition that are at the next level for children (challenging, but achievable). Asking questions (What if you used the same structure in all four corners of your castle) and showing pictures of actual buildings and block buildings that illustrate that type of construct might motivate children to try that new way of composing 3D shapes. Copying each others' construction can be another helpful approach. 

Build a Tower
Build a Tower
Build a Block
Build a Block

Special Thanks To

Institute of Education Sciences
The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through grant numbers R305K050157, R305A120813, R305A110188, and R305A150243. to the University of Denver. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.