Chapter VI – Geometry and Play with Shapes
Geometry is not only about recognizing shapes, but also about developing spatial thinking, analyzing the properties of objects, and noticing patterns in the world around us. For children aged 7–9, learning about geometric figures and solids is an opportunity to practice classification, comparison, description, and construction. It is also an excellent time to develop spatial orientation and to understand concepts such as symmetry, angle, side, face, edge, and vertex.
In early primary education, it is crucial that geometry is learned through action—by manipulating objects, connecting them, transforming them, and observing the results. This approach allows children not only to memorize the names of shapes, but also to understand their structure and practical use.
Korbo blocks support this process particularly well. Children can:
build plane figures and three-dimensional solids using real, three-dimensional elements,
create patterns, symmetries, and geometric arrangements,
experiment with movement (e.g. gear wheels as shapes rotating around an axis),
independently discover the properties of shapes through play and construction.
As a result, learning geometry becomes an engaging adventure that stimulates imagination, thinking, and hands-on activity.
After completing the tasks in this chapter, the student:
recognizes and names basic plane geometric shapes such as a triangle, square, rectangle, and circle,
builds models of plane figures and three-dimensional solids using Korbo blocks,
identifies the number of sides, vertices, and faces in known shapes and solids,
compares geometric shapes in terms of shape, number of sides, side length, and angles,
distinguishes symmetrical shapes and creates symmetrical arrangements with respect to a vertical or horizontal axis,
creates rhythmic geometric patterns (e.g. sequences of colors, shapes, or arrangements),
uses spatial concepts such as above, below, next to, inside, behind, in front of, between when building arrangements,
builds and describes simple geometric solids (cube, rectangular prism),
understands the difference between a plane figure and a three-dimensional solid,
uses mathematical language to describe constructions, including the number of sides, number of vertices, base shape, symmetry, etc.
Building in 3D, patterns along sides, comparing side lengths, and similar activities.
1. Shapes Built from Blocks
Objective: Recognizing and creating basic geometric shapes.
Required elements: Gear wheels, cylinders, connectors.
Procedure:
Children build plane shapes (triangle, square, rectangle) using cylinders or gear wheels placed next to one another. Then they determine how many sides and vertices each shape has.
Variations:
- Creating shapes using only one color and one type of element, for example checking what the largest possible rectangle can be. Attention should be paid to ensuring that the number of blocks along the two longer sides is the same, and likewise the number of blocks along the two shorter sides is the same.
2. Block Symmetry
Objective: Recognizing and creating symmetrical arrangements.
Required elements: A large platform built from four platforms (2×2), blocks of various colors and types.
Procedure:
Children create a pattern on one side of the platform (for example, placing a red cylinder or a blue gear wheel). Then the construction is passed to another child, whose task is to create a symmetrical pattern on the opposite side.
Variations:
Building horizontal and vertical symmetry.
Enlarging the platform, for example to 4×4, and creating a pattern collaboratively as a group (e.g. a rotating construction, also built upward).
3. Shape Map
Objective: Reinforcing spatial and geometric concepts.
Required elements: Platforms, cylinders, cross connectors, and straight connectors.
Procedure:
Children create a “city map” in which buildings take the shapes of geometric figures (e.g. a building in the form of a parallelogram or a cube, a square or rectangular plaza, etc.). They then describe the positions of the objects in relation to one another.
Variations:
- Adding a scale, for example: “each cylinder equals 4 meters and each cross connector equals 2 meters.” What is the height and width of the building?
4. How Many Sides? How Many Faces?
Objective: Distinguishing between plane figures and three-dimensional solids.
Required elements: Cylinders, platforms, gear wheels, connectors.
Procedure:
Children build simple solids (e.g. a cube, rectangular prism) as well as plane figures (e.g. a square, rectangle) and determine how many faces, vertices, and edges they have.
Variations:
- While building solids, children arrange identical color patterns on faces or edges of the same length (e.g. a sequence such as blue–green–blue cylinders).
5. Geometric Patterns
Objective: Creating and continuing rhythmic sequences using shapes.
Required elements: Korbo blocks
Procedure:
One child creates a pattern on the platform, for example: cylinder – gear wheel – cylinder – gear wheel…
The task is to continue the pattern and then create one’s own sequence.
Variations:
- Two-element patterns, three-element patterns, patterns with changing colors.
6. Encoded Shapes
Objective: Developing logical thinking and geometric coding.
Required elements: Cards with a “shape code” (e.g. 4 sides, 4 right angles), blocks.
Procedure:
Children receive a card with a description of a shape and build it using blocks—without being given the name of the shape. Then they check whether the construction matches the given properties.
Variations:
- Role reversal: students prepare their own shape riddles.
7. Shapes on a Geoboard
Objective: Creating geometric shapes in a coordinate-like layout.
Required elements: A large platform (built from four platforms) as a plane, rubber bands.
Procedure:
The teacher asks the students to use rubber bands to create geometric shapes on the platform, for example: build a square with a side length of two pegs.
Variations:
Students work in pairs and propose challenges to one another.
Adding additional shapes that overlap with the previous ones.
Defining an extra parameter while building, for example: the top right vertex is located in the first row, in the second position.
8. Building Solids
Objective: Building and analyzing simple three-dimensional solids using blocks.
Required elements: Cylinders, platforms, gear wheels, connectors.
Procedure:
Students attempt to build three-dimensional shapes (e.g. a cube, a prism) using platforms, cylinders, and connectors as edges.
Variations:
Build the largest possible solid.