Knowledge of Plane Figures and Details: Introduction

Age
6-9

Materials

 * Box of sticks
 * Accompanying box of supplies
 * Classified nomenclature
 * Wall chart of pictures and labels

Preparation
The two materials used in this chapter are the box of sticks and the classified nomenclature of geometry. The box of sticks is the most important instrument used by the teacher for the presentations, and in the succeeding work of the child. The classified nomenclature codes the concepts given in the presentations. It is a bank of information to which the child will refer constantly. Etymology continues to play a crucial role, as we take into consideration the different psychological realities of the child from 3 - 6 years old, and the child from 6 - 12 years old. From 3 - 6, the child has a drive to know "things", while from 6 - 12, the child has a drive to know "the reasons of things". Therefore at the level of language, the "thing" is given by its name, and the "reason of the thing" is given with the etymology of the name.

Presentation
Description of materials: Box of sticks Eleven series of sticks, the first ten of ten different colors and ten different lengths; the last is a series of varied natural sticks. dark brown - 2cm light brown - 12cm violet - 4cm green - 14cm orange - 6cm pink - 16cm (lengths are hole to hole) red - 8cm blue - 18cm black - 10cm yellow - 20cm Eight of each of these ten series have holes at the extremities; two of each have holes all along the length. The natural sticks are of ten different lengths. These serve to construct right-angled isosceles triangles whose hypotenuse are equal to s 2. Therefore these sticks have the lengths of 2 2, 4 2, 6 2, 8 2 and so on. Three groups of semi-circumferences and three circles.

red circle - diameter of 10; corresponding green semi-circumference silver circle - diameter of 7; corresponding orange semi-circumference white circle - diameter of 5; corresponding blue semi-circumference

Box of supplies: four different colors of thumbtacks red upholstery nails brads three crayons - red, blue, black

Classified Nomenclature for Geometry:

Series A is an exception since it also includes an envelope containing two white pieces of paper picturing a point and a line in red; a red square of paper (surface) and a cube constructed of red paper and dismantled to be stored in the envelope. Note: The line goes off the edges of paper to imply infinity.