Curated OER
Identify Shapes and Matching Parts
Students identify real world objects as shapes they have learned. In this 3-D shapes worksheet, students identify shapes such as a cube for a box, a sphere for a globe, and a cylinder for a soup can.
Curated OER
Poly-Mania
This hands-on activity takes young geometers on a tour of 2D polygons and 3D polyhedrons. After exploring different web resources and discussing geometric shapes, small groups construct models of polyhedrons using bendable straws. Note:...
Perkins School for the Blind
Which One is the Square?
Children who are blind need to constantly be engaged in building conceptual understandings of the world around them. This activity will help them grasp the concept of shape, identify shapes, and consider shapes as they are used to...
National Security Agency
Awesome Area - Geometry and Measurement
Break out those math manipulatives, it's time to teach about area! Capturing the engagement of young mathematicians, this three-instructional activity series supports children with learning how to measure the area of squares,...
Curated OER
Superb Shapes and Fantastic Figures
Students compare and contrast similar two and three dimensional shapes within cooperative groups.
Curated OER
Finding Polygons in Cubist Art
Fourth graders explore geometric properties and relationships in a two-dimensional work of art. They first search for and identify polygons in a Cubist painting and then use polygons to create their own Cubist portrait of a classmate.
Curated OER
Fill and Wrap It Up
Students find the surface area and volume of the solid figures by measuring the length and the height of each face and base. They use concrete models to derive formulas for finding perimeter, circumference, area, surface area, and volume...
Curated OER
Cap-It to the Max
Eighth graders compare the volume of three cylinders constructed from the same size sheet of paper. They use concrete and graphical models to derive formulas for finding perimeter, circumference, area, and volume of two and three...
Curated OER
Art or Junk? Discovering the Triangle Inequality
Middle schoolers study the triangle inequality. They will identify, compare, and analyze attributes of two and three-dimensional shapes. Then they develop vocabulary to describe the attributes. They also use manipulatives to analyze the...
Curated OER
Circles to Spheres
Students investigate circles and spheres. In this space shapes lesson, students compare and contrast two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Students investigate the relationship between plane and space shapes.
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Creating Polygons
Students describe, make and compare polygons. For this creating polygons lesson, students identify properties of quadrilaterals and describe common features of two dimensional shapes.
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
What a View!
Students examine two- and three-dimensional shapes and figures. Individually, they practice identifying the shape from various viewpoints. By completing this activity, they develop a spatial sense about how figures and shapes are...
Curated OER
How many edges do I need to cut in order to open a cube?
Young scholars problem solve to open a cube to create different shapes. In this problem solving lesson plan, students are given a cube and the shapes to open it up to, and they have to cut the cube open to make certain shapes. This gives...
Virginia Department of Education
Surface Area and Volume
Partners use materials to wrap three-dimensional objects to determine the formula for surface area. The groups use an orange to calculate the amount of peel it takes to completely cover the fruit. Using manipulatives, individuals then...
Arizona Department of Education
Area and Perimeter of Regular and Irregular Polygons
Extend young mathematicians' understanding of area with a geometry lesson on trapezoids. Building on their prior knowledge of rectangles and triangles, students learn how to calculate the area of trapezoids and other...
Curated OER
Volume of Solids: Algebra/Geometry Institute
Use this volume of solids lesson to have learners find the surface area and volume of cylinders, pyramids, and prisms. They place cubes inside three-dimensional figures to determine the volume. Worksheets and answers are provided.
Curated OER
Building Big and Strong
Middle and high schoolers explore the concepts of architectural rigidity. They analyze a variety of polygons, and explain why some shapes add more strength to structures than others. The PBS video, "Building Big," is utilized in this plan.
Illustrative Mathematics
Toilet Roll
Potty humor is always a big hit with the school-age crowd, and potty algebra takes this topic to a whole new level. Here the class develops a model that connects the dimensions (radii, paper thickness, and length of paper) of a...
Curated OER
Discovering Conic Sections in the Motion of Heavenly Bodies
Math scholars study conics and how they are used today. In this mathematical lesson, pupils construct and slice cones after viewing a demonstration.
Balanced Assessment
Square and Circle
To determine the dimensional change to quadruple the area, class members determine how to increase the dimensions of a square and a circle to increase the perimeter by a given factor. they then calculate the necessary factor to...
Curated OER
Who Am I? (Middle School)
Third graders complete a classroom game used to build understanding of two and three-dimensional shapes. Diagonals, sides, regularity, congruency, angle measurements, parallels, perpendicular, faces, and edges are a few of the vocabulary...
Curated OER
Children's Museum of Houston - Pre/Post Classroom Activities - Nets
Students make three dimensional shapes with nets. For 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...
Futures Channel
Folding Circles
Students investigate properties of circles. In this geometry activity, students differentiate between similarity and congruence as they observe polygons. They investigate properties of two and three dimensional shape.