How come a bench is able to support your weight and resist the gravity pulling it towards the earth? How do buildings manage to stay upright? And how do all of those shapes stick together? When you can find the smaller structures hidden inside a building’s design, you can also see how the architect used them in the best way possible to make that building strong.

Related Lessons

  • Look at the world and identify shapes, while discussing the attributes that define them. Then continue the conversation at home while putting groceries away.

  • Kids must develop a spatial sense to communicate with others about the world around them. To do so, it’s important that families use vocabulary related to position and location as often as possible around young learners.

  • In this step-by-step activity video, we create magical bead wands while learning to sort and collect with your child. This video is included as part of PBS SoCal’s Family Math initiative, which provides math tools and support for families of young learners.