K–2Geometry & TopologyPlanned
Shapes
Recognising, naming, sorting and building two- and three-dimensional shapes by their attributes, such as number of sides and corners and whether faces are flat or curved.
math.geom.shapes
The lesson for this topic has not been written yet. The outline below is part of the curriculum map and has not been reviewed.
Builds on
No prerequisites — start here!
You will learn to
- Name and describe circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, cubes, cylinders, cones and spheres, whatever their size or orientation.
- Sort shapes by attributes such as the number of sides or corners, and explain the sorting rule.
- Compose larger shapes from smaller ones and decompose shapes into parts.
Definition
- A triangle is a closed flat shape with three straight sides.
- A side is a straight edge of a flat shape; a corner (vertex) is where two sides meet.
- A square is a rectangle whose four sides all have the same length.
Theorem
- Turning or moving a shape does not change what shape it is.
- Every square is a rectangle, but not every rectangle is a square.
Common misconceptions
- Thinking a square turned onto a corner is no longer a square.
- Believing a triangle must have a flat bottom or equal sides.
- Treating colour or size as part of what makes a shape a triangle or a square.
Leads to
Optional discoveries
- Sets Sorting shapes into overlapping groups, such as 'four-sided' and 'red', leads to Venn diagrams.