How to Unfold Geometry: Books to Shape Your Unit

Picture books are a great way to inspire your students in a visual way. Geometry has a lot of new vocabulary which can be challenging for students, so use books to help students learn new words and concepts. Come check out this list of geometry books and questions you can use while reading them with your upper elementary students.

Are you using geometry books in your math classes? Why not? Even simple books can help students visualize concepts. Even books that might be considered “baby books” can be used in your upper elementary math. There is more than one way to use a book. Come read how we do it.

First, Find Geometry Books

The books do not even specifically need to be about geometry concepts. You can use any book with pictures to discuss how the lines move on the page. Are they parallel? Can you find some interacting lines? What shapes are in the illustrations?

These books might be lighter on text, so if you can use a document camera or visualizer to project the illustrations, it will help students stay engaged. That being said, students love to be read to, even the older ones.

We haven’t included any links. Whenever possible, we ask that you support your local bookstore.

The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns

Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban

Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes by Roseanne Greenfield Thong

The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds

Sir Cumference and the First Round Table by Cindy Neuschwander

Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh

So Many Circles, So Many Squares by Tana Hoban

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci by Joseph D’Agnese

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

What Is Symmetry in Nature? by Bobbie Kalman

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer

Symmetry by David Wade

Symmetry in Squares by Paul Jacques Grillo

Questions to Ask During Your Reading

We found these questions are helpful while you are reading geometry books. You can teach both literacy and geometry concepts at the same time.

Shapes and Patterns:

What shapes can you find in the illustrations?

Are there any patterns made with shapes in the pictures?

Can you identify any symmetrical objects or shapes?

Sizes and Comparisons:

Are there big and small objects in the illustrations? Can you name them?

Which objects appear larger/smaller than others?

Can you find objects that are the same size? Which are congruent?

How many sides? Vertices?

Angles and Lines:

Are there any right angles in the illustrations? Can you point them out?

Can you find objects or shapes with parallel lines? Perpendicular?

Do you see any objects with acute, obtuse, right, straight, or reflex angles?

Spatial Relationships:

Can you identify objects that are above, below, next to, or behind other objects?

Are there any overlapping shapes or objects in the pictures?

Geometry in Nature:

Are there any natural objects in the illustrations that resemble geometric shapes?

Can you find any examples of symmetry in nature within the pictures?

Transformation and Movement:

Do the illustrations show any objects rotating, flipping, or sliding?

Can you find objects that appear differently when turned upside down or sideways?

3D Objects:

Are there any illustrations that depict three-dimensional objects (like cubes, spheres, or pyramids)?

Can you identify any real-life objects in the pictures that resemble 3D objects?

And Don’t Forget Your Math Books

Adding picture books is a great way to teach geometry, but for some concepts, you have to actually teach the lessons. We use Interactive Math Units to teach geometry. These books come with complete lesson plans for the teachers and all the student pages. These pages include templates where students will make a reference book of all the concepts you teach. We’ve included worksheets, games, activities, and assessments so you can just teach, practice, review, and assess without searching out all your materials.

All of our math sets are aligned with the new Alberta Math Curriculum, the British Columbia Math Competencies, and the Saskatchewan Math Curriculum. They will work with the majority of Canadian classrooms and homeschool families.

Geometry Interactive Math Unit for Grade 3 is available on TpT ($USD) and our BN Shop ($CAN).
The Geometry Interactive Math Unit for Grade 4 is available on TpT ($USD) and our BN Shop ($CAN).
Geometry Interactive Math Unit for Grade 4/5 is available on TpT ($USD) and our BN Shop ($CAN). This is designed for combined classrooms.
Geometry Interactive Math Unit for Grade 5 is available on TpT ($USD) and our BN Shop ($CAN).
Our Geometry Interactive Math Unit for Grade 5/6 is available on TpT ($USD) and our BN Shop ($CAN). This is designed for combined classrooms.
Geometry Interactive Math Unit for Grade 6 is available on TpT ($USD) and our BN Shop ($CAN).

Write Your Own Geometry Books

One of the most unexpected and pleasant surprises we had with one group of students was when they asked if they could write their own geometry books.

We started by using Google Slides. Students wrote the text on the slides as if each slide was a page in their book. It was fairly easy for them to add shapes, lines, and angles using the shape tools. Students added text boxes to diagram the geometry concepts. We asked for special permission to print the documents in colour. Each book was printed with two pages per piece of paper horizontally (partly to cut down on the amount of printing, but it also made a cuter book).

Students traded and used the books throughout the rest of the unit. Some students wrote about specific concepts like symmetry, tesselations, or transformations. Other students wrote more general books that included several geometry concepts.

Get Beyond the Geometry Books

If you’re looking for a complete outside-of-the-book project, maybe you want to use everything you’ve learned to design a cardboard arcade. We’ve done it several times over the years and the kids absolutely love it. Read more about the Shape and Space Arcade in our post, Mastering the Angles: Innovative Approaches to Teaching Geometry Concepts.

Want A Free Set of Geometry Task Cards?

We have a set of free geometry task cards available in our Resource Library. These cards include a paper version, which can be printed, or if you prefer digital, there is a Google Slides version. Even better, there is a Google Forms version that marks itself. All the instructions for how to do it are included. If you’re already a ninja, get the cards in the Resource Library. Not on our email list yet? Use this link to sign up, and we’ll send them directly to your inbox.

Looking for More Math?

Do you know more geometry books that we missed? We’d love to add to our list, so please add them in the comments below.