In class when we learned about 3-D shapes, we had the opportunity to play with the wood blocks shapes and also the blue plastic shapes. I liked the way we were given a chance to look at all of the shapes, touch them, count the sides, and just have time to play with them. I also really enjoyed the way we were challenged to classify the wood ones, and when we were asked to order the volumes from smallest to largest before filling the blue ones with water to compare the volumes. Those are both things that I would love to use in a classroom someday! The mystery shape game was great as well. We did some really great activities in class with 3-D shapes that I'd like to use later on.
I think that a good way to teach 3-D shapes to students would be to show them where they see the shapes already in their everyday lives. After teaching them the properties of the shapes, I would show them examples like these and ask which of the shapes they look like.
I think that a good way to teach 3-D shapes to students would be to show them where they see the shapes already in their everyday lives. After teaching them the properties of the shapes, I would show them examples like these and ask which of the shapes they look like.
| A soup can...  | ...is a CYLINDER.  |
A CYLINDER is a solid object with two identical flat ends that are circular or elliptical, and one curved side. Many cans of food in all shapes and sizes are cylinders, but other things such as a footrest could be a cylinder.
| A cereal box...  | ...is a RECTANGULAR PRISM.  |
A RECTANGULAR PRISM is a solid 3-D object which has six faces that are rectangles. Many boxes are rectangular prisms, but so are other things like books, mattresses and boards, to name a few.
| A basketball...  | ...is a SPHERE.  |
A SPHERE is a 3-D object shaped like a ball. It is perfectly round, and every point on the object is the same distance from the center. Tennis balls, soccer balls, oranges, and globes are all spheres.
| A party hat...  | ...is a CYLINDRICAL CONE  |
A CONE is a solid 3-D object that has a circular base and one vertex. A party hat is shaped like a cone, and so is an ice cream cone.
Reflection: I found that certain shapes were much more difficult to think of examples for than others. I also realized that when teaching about 3-D objects in this way, by relating them to everyday items, it is important to clarify to students the difference between something that is a solid versus something that just looks similar to the shape. For example, a party hat is not solid, and does not actually have a circular face on the bottom. This may be confusing to students if you do not clarify the difference between these. It is okay to say that it looks similar to the object, but it is important when talking about the definitions of the 3-D shapes to clarify that.
I think that a worksheet could be made up where students could fill in the blank under a picture of an object, saying what shape the object is. I also think that students could be challenged to go home and write down, take pictures of, or even bring to class objects they found that looked like the shapes.
I think that a worksheet could be made up where students could fill in the blank under a picture of an object, saying what shape the object is. I also think that students could be challenged to go home and write down, take pictures of, or even bring to class objects they found that looked like the shapes.
The definitions for the shapes that I gave came from the website, Math is Fun. This website has lots of links, including a dictionary of mathematical terms simple enough for students to understand. The website could be used as a resource in the classroom in multiple ways. Here is the link: http://www.mathsisfun.com/index.htm
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