Describe and name 3D shapes
I can recognise and name cones, cylinders, cubes, cuboids and spheres and describe their properties.
Describe and name 3D shapes
I can recognise and name cones, cylinders, cubes, cuboids and spheres and describe their properties.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A property of a 3D shape can be the number of faces, edges or vertices it has.
- Each face of a 3D shape is a 2D shape.
Keywords
Cuboid - A 3D shape with 6 rectangular faces.
Cube - A 3D shape with 6 identical square faces.
Cone - A 3D shape with one circular face, one curved surface and one vertex.
Sphere - A 3D shape with one curved surface.
Cylinder - A 3D shape with two circular faces and one curved surface.
Common misconception
Children may think that a curved surface is a face, or the curved line where a curved surface meets a flat face is an edge.
Handle the shapes and discuss how faces and edges feel. Write these descriptions down and use them to help the children distinguish between faces and curved surfaces, or curved lines and edges.
To help you plan your year 2 maths lesson on: Describe and name 3D shapes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 2 maths lesson on: Describe and name 3D shapes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 maths lessons from the Shape: discuss and compare 2D and 3D shapes unit, dive into the full secondary maths curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
4 equal sides
3 vertices
8 straight sides
6 vertices
5 straight sides
Exit quiz
6 Questions
no faces and one curved surface
two circular faces and one curved surface
two square faces and four rectangular faces
a vertex
a curved surface
a face
flat surface of a 3D shape.
straight line where two faces meet.
corner of the shape where two or more edges meet.
cuboids
cylinders
cones
a type of cuboid that has 6 identical square faces
has two circular faces, no vertices and no edges
has no faces, no vertices and no edges