Creating 3D Shapes

As an application activity for 3D shapes, our maths class created their own 3D shapes with marshmallows and toothpicks. I was surprised with how talented my students were with quickly creating numerous 3D shapes. 

Once the students created their 3D shape, they had to identify the faces, edges and vertices of that shape. Each group had to create as many different 3D shapes as possible. This activity was extra engaging as all students were able to participate. A rich learning task where students could enter at their level allowed every student to participate and work together in a group. This task also allowed me to see which students were easily able to identify edges, vertices and faces, which students could identify them using concrete materials, and which students still needed additional help with this. 

At the end of the lesson, we were able to put our 3D shapes up on display and it was great to see how proud our students were of their work. 

Describing 2D Shapes

We have started off our maths topic with "space" and more specifically, looking at 2D shapes. Now my maths group is full of students who are eager and excited about learning, so I thought we could easily zip through 2D shapes and get to 3D shapes. Well, after this week, I have realised that although they can identify 2D shapes, they struggle to describe them or even match the shape to the description. So what do they need you ask?!?! They need to learn some maths vocabulary!

I have created a poster with terms that I think would be useful for them to know to be able to describe the shapes. For this mini-lesson, students will have to match up my visual definition to the term. They next have to use these words in their descriptions of various 2D shapes.

Maths vocabulary is something that is often overlooked but so crucial! There is no way that students will be able to describe something without having the proper vocabulary. So let's see what type of descriptions I will get now!