MAFS.K.G.1.2Archived Standard

Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.
General Information
Subject Area: Mathematics
Grade: K
Domain-Subdomain: Geometry
Cluster: Level 1: Recall
Cluster: Identify and describe shapes (squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, hexagons, cubes, cones, cylinders, and spheres). (Additional Cluster) -

Clusters should not be sorted from Major to Supporting and then taught in that order. To do so would strip the coherence of the mathematical ideas and miss the opportunity to enhance the major work of the grade with the supporting clusters.

Date Adopted or Revised: 02/14
Content Complexity Rating: Level 1: Recall - More Information
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5012020: Grade Kindergarten Mathematics (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7712015: Access Mathematics - Grade Kindergarten (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5020070: STEM Lab Kindergarten (Specifically in versions: 2016 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5012005: Foundational Skills in Mathematics K-2 (Specifically in versions: 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Educational Games

Match the 2D Shape:

Play the concentration game. Match the 2D shape to the correct name.

Type: Educational Game

Shape & Solid Exploration:

In this game, learners use clues to identify mystery shapes. Use everyday objects (like from the pantry) as the shapes. It is important for learners to be able to describe a shape with correct math vocabulary and to be able to visualize a shape in their head.

Type: Educational Game

Formative Assessments

Is it Still a Triangle?:

Students are asked to identify a triangle shown in two different orientations.

Type: Formative Assessment

Find That Shape:

Students are given a variety of shapes and asked to find specific ones.

Type: Formative Assessment

Small and Large Spheres:

Students are asked to identify two spheres of different sizes.

Type: Formative Assessment

Name The Shape:

Students name two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes given manipulatives or pictures on a worksheet.

Type: Formative Assessment

Identify the Shapes:

Students determine whether a shape is a circle, triangle, rectangle or square.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Find the Flag: Shape Edition:

In this integrated lesson plan, students are tasked with finding the Florida state flag by following directions from a partner who names the 2D or 3D shape it is hidden beneath. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Rectangles Rock!:

Using the book Mouse Shapes as a springboard text, students will identify the main idea of the story and locate specific details to support the story. They will then use information in the story, attribute blocks, and discussion to identify a rectangle, its name, and its attributes.

Type: Lesson Plan

Hide and Seek those Shapes:

In this lesson, students will discover the names of different two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and their attributes through activities such as playing "Hide and Seek" with shapes and playing "Hot and Cold" to find shapes in the classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Desktop Display:

Students are asked to help create a desktop out of attribute blocks. They must choose the shape they will use to make the desk first based on number of sides and price. Then they must also take into account the strength of the desk.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shape Detective:

The students will identify and describe shapes (squares, circles, triangles, and rectangles, ) regardless of their orientations or overall size by becoming detectives and going on a "hunt" to find the given shapes.

Type: Lesson Plan

3D Shape Shifters:

This is a hands-on lesson that introduces and allows students to identify and build three-dimensional figures including rectangular prisms, square pyramids, and cubes. The students will also gain an understanding of what a vertex is, and how many vertices a given shape has.

Type: Lesson Plan

Going On a Shape Hunt: Integrating Math and Literacy :

Integrating mathematics and literacy allows students to develop an understanding of the place of mathematics in their world. Students are introduced to the idea of shapes through a read-aloud session with an appropriate book. They then use models to learn the names of shapes, work together and individually to locate shapes in their real-world environment, practice spelling out the names of shapes they locate, and reflect in writing on the process. This lesson provides opportunities to engage students using many different learning modalities.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shape Hunt:

Students will go on a shape hunt in the classroom or designated area. During the shape hunt, students will find real-world objects that can be modeled by two- and three-dimensional figures. After the shape hunt, students will use Timed-Pair-Share to explain to peers what objects they found and their relative positions.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sorting Recycling:

In this MEA, students will sort recycling material based on the shape, name the shapes, and decide on what recycling bin would be the best for the city to choose. Students will write and draw a picture describing which recycling bin they chose.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sports Equipment Store:

Students will help Mr. Bob Fitness choose a piece of sports equipment for his new store. Students will work with three-dimensional shapes and determine a procedure in choosing the equipment.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

The Search for Shapes: Recognizing Rectangles and Squares:

Identify and name rectangles and squares based on their defining attributes, even if they have different sizes or positions. Join King Geo and his scout, Quad, as they search for rectangles and squares in this interactive tutorial. 

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Search for Shapes: Exploring Hexagons:

Help find hexagons based on their defining attributes for King Geo in this interactive tutorial. Learn what makes a hexagon a hexagon.

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Search for Shapes: Tracking Triangles:

Track down triangles based on their defining attributes for King Geo in this interactive tutorial.  Learn what makes a triangle a triangle.

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Teaching Ideas

Shapes of Africa:

In this lesson plan, students learn how to find shapes in their world using the children's book, A Triangle for Adaora by Ifeoma Onyefulu.

Type: Teaching Idea

Polygons and Shapely Lines:

This activity gives students practice drawing straight lines with a ruler and looking for and categorizing shapes, for example, by the number of sides in polygons. The Teachers' Notes page includes suggestions for implementation, discussion questions and ideas for extension.

Type: Teaching Idea

Shape Hunt:

To give students opportunities to recognize, describe, build, and explore shapes in many different contexts.

Type: Teaching Idea

Video/Audio/Animation

The Shape Song:

This video features a sing-along song about shapes. The first half of this song is for preschoolers: circle, triangle, rectangle, square. The second half is for primary grade students: oval, diamond, heart, crescent, rhombus, trapezoid, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, and octagon.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Virtual Manipulatives

Math Match - Concepts Review Game:

This interactive game allows students to review math concepts, including shapes, shape names, addition, multiplication, negative numbers, and equivalent expressions.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Shape Tool:

This virtual manipulative allows you to create, color, enlarge, shrink, rotate, reflect, slice, and glue geometric shapes, such as: squares, triangles, rhombi, trapezoids and hexagons.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

Desktop Display:

Students are asked to help create a desktop out of attribute blocks. They must choose the shape they will use to make the desk first based on number of sides and price. Then they must also take into account the strength of the desk.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Sorting Recycling:

In this MEA, students will sort recycling material based on the shape, name the shapes, and decide on what recycling bin would be the best for the city to choose. Students will write and draw a picture describing which recycling bin they chose.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Sports Equipment Store:

Students will help Mr. Bob Fitness choose a piece of sports equipment for his new store. Students will work with three-dimensional shapes and determine a procedure in choosing the equipment.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

MFAS Formative Assessments

Find That Shape:

Students are given a variety of shapes and asked to find specific ones.

Identify the Shapes:

Students determine whether a shape is a circle, triangle, rectangle or square.

Is it Still a Triangle?:

Students are asked to identify a triangle shown in two different orientations.

Name The Shape:

Students name two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes given manipulatives or pictures on a worksheet.

Small and Large Spheres:

Students are asked to identify two spheres of different sizes.

Original Student Tutorials Mathematics - Grades K-5

The Search for Shapes: Exploring Hexagons:

Help find hexagons based on their defining attributes for King Geo in this interactive tutorial. Learn what makes a hexagon a hexagon.

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

The Search for Shapes: Recognizing Rectangles and Squares:

Identify and name rectangles and squares based on their defining attributes, even if they have different sizes or positions. Join King Geo and his scout, Quad, as they search for rectangles and squares in this interactive tutorial. 

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

The Search for Shapes: Tracking Triangles:

Track down triangles based on their defining attributes for King Geo in this interactive tutorial.  Learn what makes a triangle a triangle.

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

The Search for Shapes: Recognizing Rectangles and Squares:

Identify and name rectangles and squares based on their defining attributes, even if they have different sizes or positions. Join King Geo and his scout, Quad, as they search for rectangles and squares in this interactive tutorial. 

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Search for Shapes: Exploring Hexagons:

Help find hexagons based on their defining attributes for King Geo in this interactive tutorial. Learn what makes a hexagon a hexagon.

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Search for Shapes: Tracking Triangles:

Track down triangles based on their defining attributes for King Geo in this interactive tutorial.  Learn what makes a triangle a triangle.

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Educational Game

Match the 2D Shape:

Play the concentration game. Match the 2D shape to the correct name.

Type: Educational Game

Virtual Manipulative

Shape Tool:

This virtual manipulative allows you to create, color, enlarge, shrink, rotate, reflect, slice, and glue geometric shapes, such as: squares, triangles, rhombi, trapezoids and hexagons.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Video/Audio/Animation

The Shape Song:

This video features a sing-along song about shapes. The first half of this song is for preschoolers: circle, triangle, rectangle, square. The second half is for primary grade students: oval, diamond, heart, crescent, rhombus, trapezoid, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, and octagon.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Virtual Manipulative

Shape Tool:

This virtual manipulative allows you to create, color, enlarge, shrink, rotate, reflect, slice, and glue geometric shapes, such as: squares, triangles, rhombi, trapezoids and hexagons.

Type: Virtual Manipulative