Describing 3-D shapes
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Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about describing how 3-D shapes look.
Task administration:
This task can be completed with pen and paper or online (with SOME auto-marking).
Level:
3
Curriculum info:
Keywords:
Description of task:
Students give the number of vertices, straight lines, and curved lines and complete sentences to describe different 3-dimensional shapes.
Curriculum Links:
Geometry and Measurement, Shape, Level 3
This resource can be used to help to identify students' understanding of identifying nets for cubes for the Geometry and Measurement (Shape) objectives
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with within the Mathematics Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.Answers/responses:
| Y4 (10/2013) | ||
| a) |
12 edges
6 faces
8 corners
Correctly names the shape (cube, cuboid or rectangular prism)
Gives 2 or more features of the shape (name*, colour, properties, orientation, it is 3-D etc.)
Gives 1 or more features of the shape (name*, colour, properties, orientation, it is 3-D etc.)
|
moderate
easy
easy
very difficult
difficult
easy
|
| b) |
2 edges 3 faces 0 corners Correctly names the shape (cylinder, cylindrical) Gives 2 or more features of the shape (name*, colour, properties, orientation, it is 3-D etc.) Gives 1 or more features of the shape (name*, colour, properties, orientation, it is 3-D etc.) |
easy
moderate
very easy
difficult
very difficult
moderate
|
| c) |
1 edge 2 faces 1 corner Correctly names the shape (cone, conical) Gives 2 or more features of the shape (name*, colour, properties, orientation, it is 3-D etc.) Gives 1 or more features of the shape (name*, colour, properties, orientation, it is 3-D etc.) |
easy
moderate
very easy
difficult
very difficult
moderate
|
| d) |
0 edges 1 face 0 corners Correctly names the shape (shpere, spherical) Gives 2 or more features of the shape (name*, colour, properties, orientation, it is 3-D etc.) Gives 1 or more features of the shape (name*, colour, properties, orientation, it is 3-D etc.) |
very easy
very easy
very easy
difficult
very difficult
moderate
|
Based on an online sample of 71 Year 4 students.
* NOTE: Accept informal names (e.g., ball), 2-D equivalent of parts of the shape (e.g., rectangle, circle), or analogies ("It's like an ice cream.")
Teaching and learning:
This resource asks students to count the number of edges, faces and corners (vertices) of shapes, and to describe what else they notice about the shapes.
Students should have already had opportunties to look at the propoerties/attributes of 3-dimensional shapes.
Diagnostic and formative information:
| Likely misconception | Next steps | |
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a) 9 edges, 3 faces, or 7 corners
b) 3 or 4 edges, or 2 faces
c) 3 edges
d) 1 edge
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Students count just the features visible in the drawing.
Students may see the shape in 2-dimensions rather than 3.
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Get students counting edges, faces, and corners on 3-D shapes, then relating these to 2-D representations of the shape.
Encourage visualisation "What is there that you can't see in the shape.
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b) 0 or 2 edges
c) 0 or 2 edges
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Students may think edges must be straight lines | This is a knowledge issue. Get students handling 3-D shapes. Anything that they can feel as they run their finger along is an edge. |
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a) 8 edges, and 8 corners OR
8 edges, and 12 corners
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Students confuse the terms edge and corner. | This is a knowledge issue. Make 3-D shapes with sticks and plasticine. The egdes are the sticks, the corners (or vertices) are the blobs of plasticine. |
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b) 4 or 5 corners
c) 3 corners
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Students see the junction of any two lines in the 2-D representation as a corner. | Get students handling 3-D shapes. A corner (vertex) must be a sharp point. |
| d) 1 edge | Students may see the shape as a circle (2-D) rather than 3-D. | Get students to draw a representation of a sphere from a 3-D shape, and then talk about what is different about a circle and sphere. |
Based on a sample of 71 Year 4 students.