Divide the group of children into work groups of two or three. Assign each group a shape to find somewhere in the room – a sphere, for example, or a cube. Your third-grade students should not only be able to identify the shape, but be able to use the proper language to describe where the shape was found. For example, at the end of the game, the child can say “I found a globe on top of the shelf.” Ask that each team of students find three examples of the shape.
Putting together a puzzle requires that a child identify shapes and patterns. Puzzles are also a natural activity for “tactile” learners – students who learn by doing. Not only will the student identify the shapes of the puzzle pieces themselves, but completing a puzzle requires recognizing the shapes and patterns in the puzzle’s design, and these shapes and patterns interconnect. Online games exist that can develop shape identification skills, as well as motor and computer skills.
Take the third-graders for a walk around the yard or the school building. Have the students identify and name shapes that they find outside. Ask them if the objects are natural or man-made. You can take a camera along on this shape excursion and take photos for display on the wall. Compare the photos of the shapes found outside with similar shapes found in the classroom.
This game teaches students about shapes and symmetry. Set the scene by describing a fictional town called “Mirror City.” In your story, mention that the town is distinctive because one half is perfectly similar to the other, as if the two halves of Mirror City were exact reflections. Using large blocks, have the students create the city. This game will also help the students learn to properly use directional phrases like “in front of” and “next to.”