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Discuss and compare 3D shapes

I can discuss and compare the properties of 3D shapes.

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New
New

Discuss and compare 3D shapes

I can discuss and compare the properties of 3D shapes.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. 3D shapes can be discussed and compared by their properties.
  2. The properties of 3D shapes are the faces, edges and vertices.
  3. 3D shapes can be compared using informal language such as taller, shorter, wider, narrower, smaller and larger.

Common misconception

Children may think that the tallest shape is always the largest.

Explore lots of different 3D shapes of different proportions. Allow children to handle and rotate the shapes. Use hollow shapes and explore filling them with water or sand to help children see that the largest shape is the one that can hold the most.

Keywords

  • Compare - You compare to find out what is the same and what is different.

  • Faces - The flat 2D surfaces of a 3D shape.

  • Vertices - The corners of a shape where two or more edges meet.

  • Edges - The straight lines where two faces of a 3D shape meet.

Allow time for children to handle and explore lots of differently-proportioned 3D shapes, including tall, short, wide and narrow examples. This lesson contains the pre-requisite knowledge for later exploration of volume and capacity when comparing size.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false. Pedro has chosen the largest slice of pizza.​
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True
Correct answer: False
Q2.
Tick the correct sentence to show how you could compare these shapes.
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I think a looks narrower than b.
I think a looks taller than b.
Correct answer: I think a looks wider than b.
Q3.
What are the correct names of these 3D shapes?
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Correct answer: cuboid, cylinder and cone
cube, sphere and cone
cuboid, cylinder and pyramid
Q4.
What are the correct names of these 3D shapes?
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triangular-based pyramid, triangular prism and square-based pyramid
Correct answer: triangular prism, triangular-based pyramid and square-based pyramid
triangular prism, square-based pyramid and triangular-based pyramid
Q5.
Match each word to its definition.
Correct Answer:face,A flat surface of a 3D shape.

A flat surface of a 3D shape.

Correct Answer:edge,A straight line on a 3D shape where two faces meet.

A straight line on a 3D shape where two faces meet.

Correct Answer:vertex,A point where two or more edges of a 3D shape meet. A corner.

A point where two or more edges of a 3D shape meet. A corner.

Q6.
How have these shapes been sorted?
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Correct answer: 6 or fewer faces and more than 6 faces.
5 or fewer faces and more than 5 faces.
4 or fewer faces and more than 4 faces.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false. b is the tallest cylinder.
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Correct answer: True
False
Q2.
Which sentence is correct?
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Cylinder a is taller than cylinder b.
Cylinder c is wider than cylinder b.
Correct answer: Cylinder a is shorter than cylinder c.
Q3.
Complete the statement. Cylinder a is ______ than cylinder b.
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Correct answer: wider and shorter
narrower and shorter
wider and taller
narrower and taller
Q4.
Tick the correct sentences.
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Correct answer: The cuboid and the cube have the same number of faces.
The cuboid and the cube have a different number of faces.
The cuboid and the cube have all of the same-shaped faces.
Correct answer: The cuboid and the cube have different-shaped faces.
Q5.
Tick the statements that are true about these 3D shapes.
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Correct answer: Both shapes have at least one circular face.
Correct answer: Both shapes have a curved surface.
Both shapes have one vertex.
Q6.
What is the same about these 3D shapes?
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They all have a circular face.
Correct answer: They all have no edges.
They all have no vertices.
Correct answer: They all have a curved surface.

Lesson appears in

UnitMaths / Shape: discuss and compare 2D and 3D shapes

Maths

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