Clay shapes

Clay shapes

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about making and sorting shapes.
Practical task
 
a)
 
b)
 
c)
 
d)
 
e)
Use a piece of modelling clay to make a cube.
 
Use another piece of modelling clay to make a sphere.
 
Use another piece of modelling clay to make a cuboid/rectangular prism.
 
Use another piece of clay to make a cylinder.
 
Put your 4 shapes into 2 groups in the box below. Write a title for each group.
 
 
Title: Title:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 		  
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper and other equipment.
 
Equipment:
Modelling clay or plasticine.
  • Students need 4 pieces of clay or plasticine. You might like to make these different colours.
  • Students could show you their shapes after they have made each one or at the end when they are placing them on the chart.
  • For part e), direct the students to place their shapes into 2 groups. Give students an example of what is being asked, e.g., I want you to put your shapes into 2 groups. For example, you might put all the triangle shapes in one group. Write down a name for your groups that explains why you have put these shapes together.
Level:
2
Curriculum info: 
Maths, Geometry and Measurement, Shape
Keywords: 
3-dimensional shapes, shape properties, model construction
Description of task: 
In this practical task, students make specified 3-dimensional shapes, and then sort them into two groups according to criteria that the student defines.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Geometric thinking, set 3
within the Mathematics Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 

[NOTE: Allow for some unevenness in construction of 3-dimensional shapes. Vertices are unlikely to be pointed in Shapes a) and c).]

a)

Cube constructed

b)

A ball-shaped sphere is constructed.

c)

Cuboid/rectangular prism constructed.

d)

Cylinder constructed.

e)

Shapes are placed into 2 groups.
Titles explain grouping criteria. (E.g. Shapes with straight sides and shapes with curved sides or cuboids/rectangular prisms and spheres.)