You will learn
- Name common colours and shapes.
- Use size words such as big, small, tall and short.
- Describe an object using colour, shape and size.
- Choose the right words to tell one object from another.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Colour, shape and size tell us how things look.
- A circle is round. A triangle has three sides. A square and a rectangle have four sides.
- Big, small, tall, short, long and wide are size words.
- A good description uses colour, shape and size together.
Words to know
how a thing looks, such as red, blue or green
the outline of a thing, like a circle or a square
how big or small a thing is
to say what something is like
1. Discover: The red ball and the blue box
Ayo’s teacher says, “Please bring me the small, round, red thing.” Ayo looks at the table. There is a big red ball, a small red ball and a small blue box. Ayo picks up the small red ball.
Think: Which words helped Ayo choose?
2. Understand: Describing words
Idea 1: Colours
Colours tell us how things look. Red, blue, green, yellow, orange, black and white are colours. Many things have more than one colour.
Idea 2: Shapes
A circle is round. A square has four sides that are all the same length. A rectangle has four sides, two long and two short. A triangle has three sides.
Idea 3: Sizes
We use words such as big, small, tall, short, long and wide to tell the size. Size words work best when we compare two things.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Describe a ball
A ball is round, red and small.
- Colour? Red.
- Shape? Round.
- Size? Small.
Answer: It is a small, round, red ball.
Example 2 (We do it together): Describe a book
Look at a book on a desk.
- Colour: look at the cover.
- Shape: four sides, two long and two short, like a rectangle.
- Size: compare it with a pencil. It is wider.
Answer: A correct description, such as: it is a blue, rectangle-shaped book that is wider than a pencil.
Example 3 (You try): Choose the right bottle
Ayo needs the tall, thin, green bottle. There are two green bottles: one short and fat, one tall and thin.
Show the steps and answer
- Which words matter? Tall and thin.
- Look at both bottles.
- Choose the one that matches.
Answer: The tall, thin, green bottle.
Did you know?
Scientists often measure size with a ruler. Later you will learn to measure with numbers.
Why this matters
Clear describing words help us share what we see so that other people can picture it.
4. Explore: Describe and draw
Work in pairs. One learner describes a safe object. The partner draws it from the words.
- Choose a safe object, such as a leaf or a cup.
- Say its colour, shape and size. Do not say its name.
- Your partner draws what you describe.
- Compare the drawing with the object.
Think about it: what did you notice?
Is the drawing like the object? Which words would make it better?
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- It is ___ (colour).
- It is ___ (shape).
- It is ___ (size).
- It is bigger than ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Name three colours.
Any three, such as red, blue and green.
Question 2. How many sides does a triangle have?
Three.
Question 3. Which is a size word: red or tall?
Tall.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Name three colours.
- How many sides does a triangle have?
- Which is a size word: red or tall?
- What shape is a ball?
- What shape is a door?
Level 2: Grow
- Describe your pencil using colour, shape and size.
- Which is bigger, a cup or a bucket?
- Describe a plate in two words.
Level 3: Stretch
- Describe a football using colour, shape and size.
- A teacher says, “Bring me the long, blue ruler.” There is a long blue ruler and a short blue ruler. Which does she mean?
- Why is it better to use colour, shape and size together?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
How can you describe your favourite toy so a friend can find it?
Show a sample answer
It is a small, round, blue ball.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Use colour, shape and size together.
Fix: Big and small depend on what we compare with. A mouse is big next to an ant.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name common colours and shapes.
- I can use size words such as big, small, tall and short.
- I can describe an object using colour, shape and size.
- I can choose the right words to tell one object from another.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Colour, shape and size tell us how things look.
- A circle is round. A triangle has three sides. A square and a rectangle have four sides.
- Big, small, tall, short, long and wide are size words.
- A good description uses colour, shape and size together.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Comparing objects. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name three shapes. [3 marks]
- Name two size words. [2 marks]
- Describe a ball using colour, shape and size. [3 marks]
- How many sides does a triangle have? [1 mark]
- Why do scientists use describing words carefully? [1 mark]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Any three: circle, square, triangle, rectangle [1 each]
- Any two: big, small, tall, short, long, wide [1 each]
- A colour [1]; a shape [1]; a size [1]
- Three [1]
- So that others can picture what they saw [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Name three colours.
- How many sides does a triangle have?
- Which is a size word: red or tall?
- What shape is a ball?
- What shape is a door?
- Describe your pencil using colour, shape and size.
- Which is bigger, a cup or a bucket?
- Describe a plate in two words.
- Describe a football using colour, shape and size.
- A teacher says, “Bring me the long, blue ruler.” There is a long blue ruler and a short blue ruler. Which does she mean?
Homework
Choose three things at home. Describe each with a colour, a shape and a size word. Draw one.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Name three colours. | Any three, such as red, blue and green. | 1 |
| 2. How many sides does a triangle have? | Three. | 1 |
| 3. Which is a size word: red or tall? | Tall. | 1 |
| 4. What shape is a ball? | Round. | 1 |
| 5. What shape is a door? | A rectangle. | 1 |
| 6. Describe your pencil using colour, shape and size. | Any correct description. | 1 |
| 7. Which is bigger, a cup or a bucket? | A bucket. | 1 |
| 8. Describe a plate in two words. | Round and flat, or similar. | 1 |
| 9. Describe a football using colour, shape and size. | For example: it is a round, black and white, medium-sized ball. | 1 |
| 10. A teacher says, “Bring me the long, blue ruler.” There is a long blue ruler and a short blue ruler. Which does she mean? | The long one, because she said long. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Any three, such as red, blue and green.; 2 Three.; 3 Tall.; 4 Round.; 5 A rectangle.. Level 2: 1 Any correct description.; 2 A bucket.; 3 Round and flat, or similar.. Level 3: 1 For example: it is a round, black and white, medium-sized ball.; 2 The long one, because she said long.; 3 Together they tell one object apart from another more exactly..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name common colours and shapes | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Use size words such as big, small, tall and short | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Describe an object using colour, shape and size | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Choose the right words to tell one object from another | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Colour is enough to describe an object.” Use colour, shape and size together.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Describe one object together using only colour. Then add shape, then size.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child describes objects using colour, shape and size words. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Play “I spy” using colour, shape and size.
- Ask your child to describe a fruit or a toy.
- Look for shapes in doors, plates and books.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name common colours and shapes; use size words such as big, small, tall and short; describe an object using colour, shape and size; choose the right words to tell one object from another.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. Safe objects of different colours, shapes and sizes; chart paper, pencils and crayons. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Set out a big red ball, a small red ball and a small blue box (or similar). Draw the four shapes on the board.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Ask a learner to bring “the small, round, red thing” from a table of mixed objects.
Explanation (10 min). Teach colour, shape and size words with objects, then pictures.
Guided activity (10 min). Pairs describe and draw an object.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners say or write a three-part description of one object.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What colour is it? What shape is it? How big is it compared with this?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Colour is enough to describe an object.” Use colour, shape and size together.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Describe one object together using only colour. Then add shape, then size. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 1, topic 5; Next Generation Science Standards, practices of observing and communicating; Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, scientific enquiry; IB Primary Years Programme, inquiry-based learning. These sources informed the lesson.