Put the students into groups of about five or Of these shapes, such as sides and angles. With the whole class, look at some 2-D shapesĪnd discuss with them some of the properties Vertices (corners), and are able to identify some three-dimensional shapes based on Successful if they can identify that three-dimensional shapes have faces, edges and Introduce students to the properties of three-dimensional shapes as well. Squares’, although it is important that studentsīegin to learn the correct names of shapes. They could also be thought of as ‘pushed over

‘special parallelograms’ known as rhombuses. Of the four parallelograms in the second row, theįirst two have equal-length sides and so are In that the opposite sides are the same length, These four-sided shapes are similar to rectangles ‘pushed over rectangles’ or ‘parallelograms’. In the diagram above, the second row contains four

The four sides are the same length, so these special rectangles are known as squares. The first row are ‘special rectangles’ as well as having four straight sides and four right angles, While none of the shapes in the other rows are rectangles. Sides and four right angles) may not realise that the shapes in the first row are all rectangles, Similarly, students who are not clear on the important properties of rectangles (four straight The shapes in the first row are all triangles, while none of the shapes in the second row Students who are not clear on the important properties of triangles may not realise that Other names can come later but learning names should not be the Important that students know common geometric names (eg rectangles, squares, circles, Them on a visual level, rather than noting the properties of these shapes. Other quadrilaterals have some properties in common with rectangles (and squares).Ī parallelogram looks like a ‘pushed over’ rectangle, and a rhombus looks like a ‘pushedīefore this level students may be able to name some shapes, but will most likely recognise Sides and four right angles and that these are special ‘quadrilaterals’ (four-sided shapes). Furthermore, that rectangles (and squares) have four straight

Use these distinguishing features to compare and contrast various shapes.įor example, they appreciate that triangles have three straight sides and the three anglesĬan be of various sizes. Students at this level will identify the important properties of two-dimensional shapes and

Three dimensional shapes and names