American Museum of Natural History
Thinking in the Three Dimensions
Discover different dimensions with paper folding. Pupils first read about zero, one, two, and three dimensions, and then learn about the fourth dimension, time. They then use origami to create models of shapes in three dimensions and use...
Curated OER
What's in the Bag?
Help your students identify the attributes of two-dimensional shapes. They read the book Round is a Mooncake, and use pattern blocks to sort shapes. Students sort shapes according to their attributes.
Curated OER
Square Corners
Which ones are square corners? As they learn more about shape attributes, be sure scholars understand the difference between a vertex and a square corner. After examining two examples, learners circle the 90-degree corners in 12...
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: Euler's Theorem
How do you get a theorem named after you? Euler knows what it takes! The third lesson of five asks pupils to use an interactive activity to compare the faces, vertices, and edges of seven different three-dimensional solids. They use...
Curated OER
Shapes Around Us
Students identify basic two-dimensional shapes. They are able to identify the four basic two-dimensional shapes: squares, rectangles, triangles, and circles. Students write/draw in their learning logs a reflection of what they noticed...
Curated OER
Making and Describing Shapes
Explore the concept of creating and describing 2D and 3D shapes. Using geometry your scholars will describe the attributes of shapes and their properties. They explore and discover what happens when you combine shapes and then take...
Mathed Up!
3-D Pythagoras
Apply the Pythagorean Theorem in three-dimensional shapes. Young mathematicians watch a video that takes them through several examples of using the Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems involving lengths in three-dimensional figures. A...
Curated OER
Investigating Shapes in Our World
First graders explore shapes. In this geometry lesson, 1st graders make shapes with geo-boards, use play-dough to make three-dimensional figures, and make a shape book using pre-cut shapes.
Curated OER
Flat Shapes in Three Dimension
Students explore sculpture. In this lesson about finding sculpture ideas in movement and rhythm, students make 3-dimensional shapes. Students create a sculpture paying attention to balance, rhythm and repetition. Students will understand...
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: Platonic Solids
From polyhedrons to platonic solids, here is a lesson that will have your classes talking! As an introduction to platonic solids, scholars cut and fold nets to create the three-dimensional solids. They use an interactive component to...
J. Paul Getty Trust
Expressing Emotions through Art Lesson 3—Everybody Works Together
See how art can communicate the idea of working together with your class. They will view art and describe space, color, shape, and lines in art. Then they will overlap in their art to show a sense of space. In the end, they will be able...
Curated OER
Shapes Galore!
First graders create two-dimensional shapes. In this shapes lesson, 1st graders learn about different two-dimensional shapes. Students have many hands-on experiences with these shapes including the use of geoboards, shaving cream, yarn,...
Curated OER
Three Dimensional Sketching
Students become familiar with drawing segments and points. They understand how perspective drawing differs from three dimensional sketching. They demonstrate three dimensional and perspective drawing.
Curated OER
Shapes with Sticks
Third graders investigate three dimensional shapes. They examine a variety of shapes and the relationship between the number of faces, edges, and vertices. Students determine Euler's formula and they create a variety of three dimensional...
Curated OER
Properties of 2D Shapes
Second graders determine how to name two-dimensional shapes by their properties. In this two-dimensional figure lesson, 2nd graders work in two groups. They work with the teacher to examine two-dimensional shapes and complete a...
Curated OER
Guess My Shape
Learners play a game with shapes. They work in groups to identify the names and characteristics of various shapes. They give each other clues to see if others can identify the shape being described. This is a great hands on activity.
Curated OER
Ocean Exploration: Shapes and Patterns Under the Sea
So many shapes in our vast oceans. Young explorers can discover new shapes in a variety of ways in this lesson. One way is having free exploration with a pattern shape kit handed out by the teacher. Another is by viewing a video, Ocean...
Curated OER
Children's Museum of Houston - Pre/Post Classroom Activities - Nets
Students make three dimensional shapes with nets. In this nets lesson, students receive nets which they fold to make a three dimensional object. They predict what shape each net will make and verify it after making the net. They use the...
Curated OER
Spacemobiles
Aspiring astronauts construct a space vehicle using cylinders, cones, spheres, and rectangular prisms. This is an engaging method of learning about three-dimensional shapes. Note that the word cylinder is constantly misspelled in the...
Utah Education Network (UEN)
Insides and Outsides
Give small groups handfuls of unit cubes and then dare them to build as many rectangular prisms as possible using only 12 cubes. This engaging activity serves as an introduction to the volume of solid figures. In addition to volume,...
Curated OER
Pyramids and Prisms: Guler's Formula
Sixth graders detect and categorize the attributes of geometric shapes to solve problems. In this geometry lesson, 6th graders construct a variety of polyhedra. Students recognize the relationships between two dimensional and three...
Curated OER
Creating 3-D Shapes in Art
By learning techniques for drawing 3-D shapes, students can create realistic drawings.
Curated OER
Circles to Spheres
Young scholars investigate circles and spheres. For this space shapes lesson, students compare and contrast two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Young scholars investigate the relationship between plane and space shapes.
Space Awareness
What is a Constellation
Why do some stars in a constellation appear brighter than others? Using a get-up-and-move astronomy activity, scholars explore perspective and the appearance of constellations in the sky while developing an understanding of the...