How can something so simple work? Color Blocking Geometric Shapes

This is something I came up with a few years ago that really helps kids to focus on the specific shape you are teaching.  I call it color blocking for learning.  We are learning about 2 dimensional shapes this week, and every day we will be color blocking or coloring the shape du joir.  Today's shape was the rectangle.  After discussing the rectangle, making up a gesture for it, and identifying different rectangles on our math practice pages, we did some random color blocking for rectangles!

Below is an example of what I charted for my students.  We discussed how the exact size of our paper is a large rectangle, so every fold we make (as long as they are equal and in half each time) will be rectangles too.  This first day I did the folding for everyone. 

Here is a sample color block effect:

My little sweeties did not want to do solid color blocks, so the pictures I will blog about tomorrow have some interesting, and some very creative color blockings! If you want to have your kids to try folding their own 16 section template, here is a page with dotted lines to use as guides.  This is sooo easy! Try it.  I know your kids will learn something about rectangles! Stay tuned for tomorrow's pics!
And tomorrow, we will do squares! I always get some ooohs and ahhhhs for squares! https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwugBzJawFTadFRPOVFJcTZieG8/edit?usp=sharing