Geometry and Spatial Reasoning -- Geometry and Spatial Sense

Goal 1: Children increasingly recognize two- and three-dimensional objects and use spatial reasoning.

By the end of each age group or grade level, most children will have met prior age group or grade level standards in this domain.

Infants Through Older Toddlers

Infants

(0-12 Months)

Explore objects of different shapes using different senses
Continue to look for an object when it is completely hidden
Attend to how objects move in space by tracking objects with their eyes and head
Explore relationships between objects through different actions (e.g., banging, rubbing, tapping together)
Put objects into other objects (e.g., rattle into bowl)

(9-18 Months)

Experiment with body’s relationship to objects (e.g. move body to see the front of doll)
Manipulate objects of different sizes and shapes and how they fit together (e.g., nesting cups, or any object perceived to fit in container or tube)
Explore space with entire body (e.g., crawl under table, climb into a box)
Complete simple knob non-connecting puzzles by turning shapes and fitting shape into place using trial and error
Follow simple directions related to position (e.g., in, on, up) with modeling and assistance

(18-36 Months)

Follow simple directions related to position (e.g., in, on, up) and proximity (e.g., next to, between)
Match basic two-dimensional shapes of same size
Create pictures using simple shapes (e.g., using pattern blocks or parquetry blocks)
Put together and take apart shapes to form new shapes
Build simple three-dimensional structures (e.g., stacking blocks)
Complete 9-12 piece non-connecting puzzles by matching pictures or shapes

Younger Preschoolers Through Kindergartners

(36-48 months)

Name common two-dimensional shapes (e.g. square, rectangle, circle, triangle) regardless of orientation
Use position words such as behind, in, on accurately
Use two- and three-dimensional shapes to create pictures and structures
Complete a 5-7 piece connecting puzzle by looking at the picture and/or shapes

(48-60 months)

Name common two- and three-dimensional shapes, and their parts and attributes (e.g., “A triangle has 3 points.”)
Combine (i.e., compose) and separate (i.e., decompose) shapes to make other shapes.
Use terms such as on top of, beside, in front, etc. to communicate ideas about the relative position of objects
Follow simple directions related to relative position (beside, between, next to, etc.)
Complete a 9-12 piece jigsaw puzzle by looking at the picture and/or shapes

First Graders Through Third Graders