2012-04-23

Does a kindergartner need to know what a hexagon is?

From CCSSI: Kindergartners ``identify, name, and describe basic two-dimensional shapes, such as squares, triangles, circles, rectangles, and hexagons...''

Can every kindergartner visually distinguish between a square and a rectangle?  Likely.  Two dimensions and three dimensions?  Dubious.  And know what a hexagon is?  No, it's age inappropriate.  What's the point of pushing a kindergartner to know what a hexagon is?  Is this going to lay the foundation to be college ready?

From CCSSI, a question that a teacher should ask a kindergartner and they are expected to understand and complete the task: “Can you join these two triangles with full sides touching to make a rectangle?”

``with full sides touching''?  It sounds awkward because it is awkward.

Shouldn't a kindergartner be playing with blocks instead?  Any kindergartner playing with blocks knows there are rectangular blocks and triangular blocks.  If you put two triangular blocks one on top of the other, the top block will slide off.  Why make this a goal-oriented and evaluated task?

Leave it to CCSSI to take the fun out of blocks.