Reveal Math Grade 1, Unit 12: Geometry
In this unit, your child sorts shapes by their features, builds new shapes from smaller ones, and splits circles and rectangles into equal halves and fourths. This last unit follows measurement and time and gets children ready for fractions and more geometry in second grade.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
What is my child learning in Unit 12?
- Telling which features define a shape, like 4 sides and 4 square corners for a rectangle, and which do not, like color. Learn more: What makes a triangle a triangle
- Combining flat shapes, like triangles, and solid shapes, like cubes and cylinders, to make new shapes. Learn more: Building bigger shapes from smaller ones
- Partitioning circles and rectangles into two or four equal shares, and naming them halves, fourths, and quarters. Learn more: Halves and quarters of circles and rectangles
Sample questions to try together
These are real questions from our practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
What must be true for a shape to be a triangle?
- It must have 3 straight sides.
- It must be blue.
- It must be big.
How you can help
- Fold a sheet of paper into four equal parts and color one. Ask your child to name it a fourth or a quarter.
- Build a tower with blocks, boxes, and cans. Ask your child to name each solid shape, like cube or cylinder.
- Look for shapes on a walk or ride, like round signs and rectangle doors. Ask how your child knows each shape's name.
Where kids can get stuck
- Thinking a shape changes when it is turned or a different color.
- Calling a piece a fourth even when the four pieces are different sizes.
- Deciding a half is smaller than a fourth, because 2 is a smaller number than 4.
Practice makes perfect
Bobby's Math Club has practice problems that adapt to your child’s level, each with a detailed explanation and an easy-to-follow video, so your child can build confidence in these skills one step at a time.
Words your child will hear
- attribute
- A feature of a shape, like how many sides or corners it has.
- side
- A straight line that makes up part of a shape's edge.
- vertex
- A corner, the point where two sides meet. More than one are vertices.
- cube
- A solid shape with 6 square faces that are all the same size.
- cylinder
- A solid shape with two flat circle ends and a curved side, like a can.
- equal shares
- Parts of a whole that are all exactly the same size.
- half
- One of 2 equal shares of a whole.
- fourth
- One of 4 equal shares of a whole, also called a quarter.
- quarter
- Another name for a fourth, one of 4 equal shares.
Ready to build your child’s confidence with shapes and fractions?
In Bobby's Math Club, your child practices these skills at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free.
Join the club
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
Which math standards does Reveal Math Grade 1 Unit 12 cover?
Reveal Math Grade 1 Unit 12 covers these math standards. Each one links to what it means, sample questions, and teaching strategies.
For teachers: Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence. Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow.