Aims and objectives
Shapes is an activity which supports the development and understanding
of 2D and 3D shapes by exploring their properties.
Previous knowledge
Pupils should be familiar with the terms ‘2D’ and ‘3D’
and should also be aware of the common shapes. A glossary is included
in the activity to help pupils with the key definitions and explore
using appropriate vocabulary.
In the classroom
The 2D element of the activity is intended for revision purposes
only. It can be used as preparation for introducing the concepts
of 3D shapes.
The 3D shapes area allows pupils to investigate different shapes,
explore their properties and become familiar with the appropriate
mathematical language.
Accompanying each shape (with the exception of the sphere and hemi-sphere)
are downloadable copies of their nets. These can printed onto paper
or card for use in the classroom where the shapes can be cut out
and folded and glued to make 3D models. For many of the shapes,
there is more than one way to layout a net. An extension to this
part of the activity would be to challenge pupils to take one of
the shapes, for example an octahedron, then explore how many different
ways they can discover to create new nets for that same shape.
Teachers could use the classroom environment as an activity for
pupils to search out and identify the shapes that they can find.
A worksheet is provided to support this process where pupils look
for shapes, describe the properties of what they can see and then
from the information gained, identify the shapes using the appropriate
mathematical language.
| Support materials description: |
Resources type: |
| The first two worksheets contain charts for pupils
to use in the classroom where they can look at shapes2.pdf and
shapes3.pdf shapes, make a note of their properties and from
this information identify the shape.
Another shape_nets.pdf contains all the nets that are used
in the activity in just one convenient file. These can be
printed out onto stiff paper and used to explore and create
3D objects from a 2D plane.
|
shapes2.pdf
shapes3.pdf
shape_nets.pdf
|
Curriculum references
Mathematics – KS1:
Ma3 2a, b, c; 3c
Mathematics – KS2:
Ma3 2b, c, d
Mathematics – KS3:
Ma3 2c, d, e, f, j, k
|