“Are You In My Class?

”
A Sequel to The Little Shape Who Lost His Way - Kelly Riner & Kwame Harleston

By: Nicole Dowling, Tas’Shauna Whipple & Dawson Dean

Dedication… “This book is dedicated to all
mathematically curious minds.”
~ N. Dowling

“This book is dedicated to all of the

educators and learners to help
nurture a growing mind.” ~T.
Whipple

“This book is dedicated to all seeking

to learn more about the geometric
shape classification.”

~ D. Dean
 Chapter 1: I See You

Once Upon a time in Quadrilateraland, young Quadrilateralassie was excitedly

anticipating her first day at Quad Middle School.

Her first day was fast approaching, and she wondered who would be in her class.
 She wanted to go all
around Quadrilateraland
and ask her friends if
they would be in her
class when school starts.
 Chapter 2: Let’s Analyze
She first came across two shapes waving at her.
She ran up excitedly and asked, “Are you in my class?”
“We were wondering the same thing about each other!”
Mr. Blue said, “I have 4 perfect corners and 4 sides. And when I do a cartwheel,
all my sides are the same length. Oh, and if I lay down on a line, my top and
bottom sides will never cross. Nor will my left and rights sides cross.”
Mr. Blue2 then stated, “Me too! But, I am standing on a corner and Mr. Blue is
standing on his side, so we were wondering if we would be in the same class as
each other…”
“Hmm,” Quadrilateralassie looked at them, then looked at herself.

She said to herself: “I have 4 sides, but not all my sides are the same
length. My top and bottom are the same length, and my left and right sides
are the same length. If I lay down on a line my top and bottom will never
cross either. Nor will my left or right sides cross.
But, my corners are not perfect.”

“I wonder if we will be in the same class…”

 As Quadrilateralassie wanders down Yellow
Brick Road, the main street connecting all
quadrants of Quadrilateraland, she wonders
if she will see Mr. Blue and Mr. Blue2 in class.
She continues on her journey…
Quadrilateralassie wanted to know what other shapes might be among her
peers in class. She, then, visited New Rhombus, and saw a familiar face.
Excitedly, she ran up to her friend and asked, “Are you in my class?”
Ms. Rhombus looked at herself and said, “I have four equal sides, however, I do
not have four right angles since my angles are not all exactly ninety degrees.”
“Oh!” Quadrilateralassie exclaimed, “My corners are not perfect either! And I
have four sides, but not all my sides are the same length.”
Quadrilateralassie wondered if she would see Ms. Rhombus in class as she
proceeded on to her next friend.
Across the lane by Rectangle Rapids, Quadrilateralassie heard Mr. Rectangle yell,
”Are you in the four ninety degree angles class with Mr. Square?”

Quadrilateralassie replied, “No! Are you in any other class?”

Mr. Rectangle said, “Yeah, I think so.”

He pondered a moment then said, “I have four sides, but not all my sides are the
same length. My top and bottom sides are; and my left and right sides are equal…”

“Hey! Me too! But you also have perfect corners, while mine are tilted and bent.”

Quadrilateralassie wondered if she would see Mr. Rectangle in class as she heard
another excited voice…
“Hello”, said Pepe Parallelogram.
“Hello”, replied Quadrilateralassie, “I’m thinking we may be in the same class.”

“Yes, just by looking at each other, I think so too!” exclaimed Pepe Parallelogram.
“Let me tell you a little about myself: I have 4 sides, 2 sets of parallel sides, so
my 2 pairs of opposite sides will never cross. My opposite sides are congruent,
and my opposite angles are congruent. I don’t have four 90 degree angles like the
Blues Brothers or Mr. Rectangle. I see you have 2 pairs of parallel sides, and
opposite angles congruent.” Pepe Parallelogram said to Quadrilateralassie.

“Oh wow! I hope we are in the same class. You sound very smart!”
She walked on, thinking about how ‘congruent’ means the ‘same’
and how ‘parallel’ means ‘opposite sides never cross’, as she meandered all the way
up the hillside to her last destination: Trapezoid Tundra.
The terrain in this territory is tough due to Trapezoids living out in the middle of
Quadrilateral-NoWhere-Land.

“What I know is: I am a 4 sided shape. I can roll all the way down a hill without
swallowing grass. Father Line says this is because I am ‘closed’. My top and bottom
are the same length; and my left and right sides are the same length. Both pairs of
my opposite sides will not cross.
And I guess my opposite angles are also the same, just like Pepe Parallelogram.”
Suddenly, a voice pronounced its presence:
“Hello!”, “hello to you”, “and to you”, “and you”, “Hello to you all!”
It was tricky Mr. Trap.

“I heard you all discussing class. Where will you be? Do you know?” Mr. Trap
asked, “I will be in a class with shapes that have at least one pair of parallel
sides like me”, said Mr. Trap. Quadrilateralassie thought, “there’s that word
again” and said, “Well, at least two of my sides never cross when I lay down
on a line, so, maybe I’ll be in class with you.” Mr. Trap said slyly, “Sure, maybe
I’ll see you soon!”
Then Quadrilateralassie heard cheering out in the
Exclusive Meadow.
She looked over and there was a big banner that read:
Kite Flying Contest - Exclusive Trapezoids Only.

“I wonder what it takes to be in a V.I.P. kite flying contest

like that?”, she thought to herself.

But she would never see it for herself, for her parents
warned “only Those trapezoidal kinds dare fly an odd
shape like a Kite.”

“I wonder of those shapes are in my class…”

Quadrilateralassie started walking home.
Quadrilateralassie wonders who else…
Then…Ring Ring!
She gets a facetime call from her distant auntie from
a distant land, her Omni Circle. She is holding two
triangle twin babies.
“Calling to check in, Lil’Lassie”
They discuss Quadrilateralassie’s current inquiry.
“Would I see shapes that look like you in class, Omni?”
“Well, what is the same about me and you?”
“Hm. I guess we are both just… shapes.”
“Then, no dear, you won't see shapes that look like me
until you graduate Euclid High and go to
Polar University.”
“What about triangles? Like the triangle twins?” Quadrilateralassie asked.

“Well, what is similar about you and Baby Trilad?” stated Omni Circle.

“Hm. Well I guess that we are both shapes with closed sides,”
Quadrilateralassie answered.

“Then you won't see any more Triangles since graduating from
Polygon Elementary,” said Omni Circle.
 Chapter 3: Informal Detective
Quadrilateralassie continued to head home. It was beginning to get dark. The time
had passed so quickly. She knew she had to get moving before it got any darker. “Let
me be on my way”, she said.

“See you later”, she heard a voice say. She could kind of make out who it was, but
she still asked. “Who’s that?

“You remember don’t you? I have 4 perfect right angles, 4 corners and 4 equal
sides,” the voice sounded like two speaking in unison.

“Oooh! That’s Mr. Blue or is it Mr. Blue2”, she said to herself. “See you later Blues
Brothers.”
 Quadrilateralassie continues home.
Quadrilateralassie kept on walking. “Be safe”, she heard another shape say, but as
it was getting darker, it was harder to see. She asked in the dark, “Who are you?”
The voice replied, “I look just like a square, but my angles are slightly different.
The opposite angles are congruent though.”
Quadrilateralassie yelled out, “Ms. Rhombus, is that you?”
“Yes it is!”, Ms. Rhombus said. “ You make sure you get home safely, now.”

“Thanks, I will”, Quadrilateralassie replied. And she continued her journey at a

more rapid pace.
 Quadrilateralassie keeps briskly walking.
Quadrilateralassie walked on, and was about to pass by a shape that was waving bye to her.
She had to focus in and see, but couldn’t really see that well who it was. “Who’s that waving,
she asked. “You remember me, right? I have 4 right angles like a square, my opposite sides
are parallel and congruent.” “I think that may be Mr. Rectangle”, Quadrilateralassie said to
herself. She was right. It was him. “See you later Mr. Rectangle, she said as she began
waving bye to Mr. Rectangle.”

She continues on her walk home. In the distance another shape says, “I’ll see you later!”
“Now who’s speaking”, she asks. A voice says, “You should know me. You’ve met me. I’ll give
you a clue: I have at least one parallel side, but my opposite angles are not congruent.”
“I do believe that is Mr. Trap, the isosceles trapezoid,” she says.
“Yes, indeed, it’s me!”, he says.
Quadrilateralassie is almost home.
“See you later!” another shape yelled out from a distance. He seemed familiar,
she thought. I can’t really tell who it is, so give me a hint. “Hey. You know me.
I’m the one with opposite angles that are equal, two pairs of sides that are
parallel. Me and you are very alike.”

“Oh, how could I forget! That’s you, Pepe Parallelogram. Bye, bye”, she said.
 First Day of School!
One the bus the next morning,
Quadrilateralassie chose to sit with a
Kite named Kit. He explained he’ll be in
Honors class.

“Honors are special classes of quadrilaterals who are grouped by

themselves,”
Kit explained.

“Why will you be grouped by yourselves?”, Quadrilateralassie

asks.

Kit tells her, “I have no parallel sides. I do have adjacent sides

that are congruent. Adjacent sides just means my sides that are
next to each other share a common vertex, but my opposite sides
are not equal.”

He continued, “Ms. Trap has special assignments for the squares,

and exclusive trapezoids in her class”

“What class does she teach?”

Quadrilateralassie asked.

“You’ll see!” Kit said as they arrived to school.

WELCOME to Class Trapezoid
with the all inclusive, Ms. Trap

Trapezoid (inclusive) class

Quadrilateralassie
had a great first
day of school with
her classmates!
The End
“Thank you dear reader. We hope you
enjoyed this mathematical journey.
And special thanks to Dr. Aubney:
May you always receive engaging
material from the students you
teach, because you provide engaging
activities for your students to learn.
Thank you.”

~Ms. Dowling
~Ms. Whipple
~Mr. Dean

Mathematical
Purpose…
This book serves 3 mathematical
purposes.
1. To introduce the visual aspects of
shapes through recognition as a
whole.
2. To provide context or examples for
given descriptions of shape
properties and their descriptions
3. To develop or explain the geometric
characteristics of shapes leading to
discussions upon different
relationships.
Students will be able to develop the
concept of classifications of shapes
through the chapters of “Are You in My
Class?” When students are finding which
class the main character is in through
the journey of “Are You in My Class?”,
teachers can use the Van Hiele Levels to
assess student understanding.
This book could be used for
differentiation to meet every students’
needs by helping students learn/expand
on the classifications of geometric shape
classes.. Also, this book could be used
with manipulatives such as pattern
blocks, both physically and through
BrainingCamp.
 Standards 3rd Grade Unit 4
MGSE3.G.1: Understand that shapes in different
categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may

Connection…
This story relates to the GSE
share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and that the
shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g.,
quadrilaterals). Recognize rhombuses, rectangles, and
squares as examples of quadrilaterals, and draw examples
of quadrilaterals that do not belong to any of these

Standards ranging from 3rd to subcategories.

5th grade curriculum 4th Grade

MGSE4.G.2: Classify two-dimensional figures based on
the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines,
or the presence or absence of angles of a specified size.
Recognize right triangles as a category, and identify right
triangles.

5th Grade Unit 5

MGSE5.G.4: Classify two-dimensional figures in a
hierarchy based on properties (polygons, triangles and
quadrilaterals).
 Standards Grades 3-5 Expectations
*Understand attributes of
Connection… 2- & 3- Dimensional shapes:

*identify
Expectations…
*compare
*analyze
*develop vocabulary
*classify according to properties,
*develop definitions of classes of
shapes.
 “Students may identify a square as a “non-

3rd Grade rectangle” or a “non-rhombus” based on limited

images they see. They do not recognize that a

Misconceptions
square is a rectangle because it has all of the
properties of a rectangle. They may list
properties of each shape separately, but not see
the interrelationships between the shapes. For
example, students do not look at the properties
of a square that are characteristic of other
figures as well. Using straws to make four
congruent figures have students change the
angles to see the relationships between a
rhombus and a square. As students develop
definitions for these shapes, relationships
between the properties will be understood.”
(pg.19)

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Stan
dards/Frameworks/3rd-Math-Unit-4.pdf
 5th Grade
Misconceptions
“Students think that when
describing geometric shapes and
placing them in subcategories, the
last category is the only
classification that can be used.”
(pg.20)
https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Framew
orks/5th-Math-Unit-5.pdf

“ OH YEAH !!! ”
 This book can be used in any

Intended Use… 3-5 grade classroom.

Even 6-8 grade intervention!
The intention is for students to have a
strong foundation in understanding the
Van Hiele Level 0 product of thought in
Classifying Shapes, to then guide
students into Level 1 where we develop
deeper mathematical understanding
when exploring Relationships of Shapes,
and introduce the object of thought of
Level 2 where we start looking at
Properties of Shapes. In the end
result, students will be able to obtain a
Level 2 understanding and develop and
form logical arguments about the
different geometric properties.
 This book falls into Van Hiele
Level 0: Visualization,
Van Hiele Level Level 1: Analysis, as well as

0-2 Level 2: Informal Deduction

(Relational Level)
The primary focus for Level 0 is seeing
how shapes are alike and different,
while Level 1 students focus more on
the properties of figures rather than
simple identification. At Level 2, the
focus is on relationships among
properties of geometric objects while
including observations that begin to
focus on logical arguments about the
properties.
References: Idea of book from: Cinderella Circle’s Search for the Perfect Angle
https://read.bookcreator.com/nzga6ZZHmRa7kJ1cyNZihcvfK7m2/V8eaY
3o9SzqdDG1LEttKkA/KilXA97PQtmx7SFn9Vz_-g

Video Idea Reference from: “Are you My Mother?” Dr. Seuss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdegazRWMv0

Illustration Reference from Little Shape that Lost It’s Way

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uKSk1V_qN3vV7f5oHLoUPF3p
eQsGq-17uNZQMcsuuck/edit#slide=id.p29

Van Hiele Reference:

https://www.mff.cuni.cz/veda/konference/wds/proc/pdf12/WDS12_112_m
8_Vojkuvkova.pdf

GeoGebra Link:
https://www.geogebra.org/geometry/cs9d5fzk

Georgia Standards of Excellence:

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Frameworks/3rd-M
ath-Unit-4.pdf

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Frameworks/3rd-M
ath-Unit-4.pdf

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Frameworks/5th-M
ath-Unit-5.pdf