Why do this problem?

This activity will give children opportunities to describe the mathematical shapes they can see in the images. It will help them to develop their understanding of concepts associated with shape such as straight, curved, wavy, square, rectangle, circle and so on. The sophistication of the mathematical language used can be developed as far as the children can manage.

Possible approach

You may want to have two versions of the pictures - one that the whole class can see whilst you have class discussions, and then printed versions for paired or group work. Clicking on the picture in the task itself will enlarge it. 

Show the class one of the pictures and ask the children what they can see. Where do they think this is? Why? What shapes can they see? Are there any questions they would like to ask about the picture?

As you work through the images, share the common theme, which is that they are from the 2008 Olympic Games in China. Your class could compare these with some of the patterns they have seen at a more recent Olympic Games.

Key questions

What shapes can you see? How are they made?

Could we make this shape? How?

Possible support

Children could work in pairs to draw over shapes they see on laminated images.

Possible extension

If you are feeling really adventurous you could devise your own opening ceremony using the children to move around and make different shapes. This could develop into a cross-curricular theme if you bring in what music might be suitable (and characteristic of the country you are in), how could we record what we plan so that we remember it, what did the opening ceremony look like the last time it was in your country (if applicable), how could wearing different colours make it different, etc.?