3-D Objects/2-D Shapes

Strand: Shape and Space (3-D Objects and 2-D Shapes)
Outcomes: 2, 3, 4

Step 3: Plan for Instruction

Guiding Questions

What learning opportunities and experiences should I provide to promote learning of the outcomes and permit students to demonstrate their learning?
What teaching strategies and resources should I use?
How will I meet the diverse learning needs of my students?

A. Assessing Prior Knowledge and Skills

Before introducing new material, consider ways to assess and build on students' knowledge and skills related to shape and space. For example:

Give students a cylinder, cone, sphere, pyramid and rectangular prism. Ask them to separate the objects into two groups and explain why they chose to sort the objects as they did.
Show students a cylinder and ask them to tell you about things in their homes that have a similar shape. Do the same with spheres and rectangular prisms.
Give students modelling clay and ask them to build a sphere, cylinder and cube.

As you do these kinds of activities, it is important to have students verbalize their thinking whenever possible.

If a student appears to have difficulty with these tasks, consider further individual assessment, such as a structured interview, to determine the student's level of skill and understanding.

Sample Structured Interview: Assessing Prior Knowledge and Skills Word Document

B. Choosing Instructional Strategies

Consider the following strategies when planning lessons.

Provide students with many opportunities to represent 2-D shapes and 3-D objects concretely.
Allow students to identify 2-D shapes and 3-D objects in their daily lives. This should include common everyday objects.

C. Choosing Learning Activities

Learning Activities are examples of activities that could be used to develop student understanding of the concepts identified in Step 1.

Sample Learning Activities
Teaching Shape and Space	Download Activities