Number Crew 1: Shape and Space 1
Programme 3: Super Models – Making and Describing Models Made From Different Shapes

Outline

After their return from the strange land of shapes, The Number Crew children want to share their adventure with the animal passengers. Fiz tells a story, while Flo does some painting. Bradley cannot think of anything to do until Flo suggests that he could make some models. With help, he makes a cube, then a cuboid but Bradley is not happy until Matthew demonstrates how to make a cone - the shape he became in the land of shapes.

Recommendations for Use

It is recommended that teachers preview the programmes to note the places they might wish to stop the tape to encourage discussion. The programmes can be used as part of the introductory class activity, where the tape is stopped at pre-planned points and the whole class is encouraged to identify and review the problems posed or predict answers. Alternatively the programmes can be used as part of the main teaching activity before children pursue their differentiated tasks. At times it may be useful to use a whole programme as part of the plenary/last session of a lesson to allow children to review their own understanding of the work they have been doing and allow teachers to assess the children informally as they watch the programme.

Curriculum Relevance

The Number Crew 1: Shape and Space 1 is a unit of five 10-minute programmes designed to support key objectives in the National Numeracy Strategy for 5-6 year olds.

Activities

Before viewing

Look at pictures of shapes or look closely at different designs made from squares, circles or triangles on sheets of wrapping paper.
Put some 3-D shapes in a bag to pass round. Ask the children to feel the shapes before taking them from the bag. Ask them to feel for corners and edges, and curved as well as flat surfaces/faces.

After viewing

Talk about Matthew's challenge: What shape can you make with two circles and one rectangle of paper? Ask the children to close their eyes and try to image what shape it could be. Demonstrate how the circles and the rectangle can be put together to make a cylinder.
Encourage the children to make models from different material and talk about them. Have some very large boxes that the children can get into. Ask them what they can see when they crouch down inside.
Have a fun shape day. If circles are chosen, have circles of paper available for painting and writing. Ask the children to write round the edge of the paper or cut round and round to make a spiral.

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