Properties of 3D shapes
Year Target
Yr 1
Understanding
3d shape
Shape and
space
activities
booklet
Group Target
Must
Should
Shape tools
Name solid shapes such
as cube, cone and
sphere.
Use everyday language
to describe the features
of 3-D shapes.
Use mathematical
vocabulary to describe
3-D shapes; sort shapes
and describe some of
their features.
Further
examples of
pitch and
expectations:
Foundation to
year 1
Year 1
Key Resources
/ Models and
Outcomes
Images
2 D shapes
Feely bag
Crayons/pencils/p
aper/ Sand

Understand use in a practical context: shape, solid, hollow, edge, face, straight, curved, point, corner

Recognise and name the following shapes:
Plasticine / Biscuit
Dough and shape
cutters
Geo boards
Objects with
different shaped
faces
Digital camera
Shapes Songs.
For example
Dave Godfrey
“Number Fun”
songs.
Shape fan
3d shape
properties
Shape and space
activities booklet

Identify shapes in the classroom: for example,
-find a cuboid (box)
-find a cylinder (baked beans tin).

Sort 3-D shapes in different ways according to properties like:
-whether they have any corners;
-whether all their edges are straight;
-whether they are solid or hollow.

Using a collection of solid shapes, choose an example, and describe it. For example:
-This shape has six faces, and each face is a rectangle.
-This shape has five faces – four are triangles and one is square.
-This cube has 12 edges…

Recognise a solid shape placed in hands behind back and be able to name it by feeling.

Make 3-D shapes using constructions kits, straws, clay, plasticine, everyday materials etc.

Begin to relate 3-D shapes to pictures of them e.g. match solids to pictures of them, use bricks to build
models from pictures.
Shape tools

Describe the model or pattern and say which shapes have been used to make it. For example:
-The top of this tree is a sphere and its trunk is a cylinder.
-This house is made from a cube and its roof is a pyramid…
Problem solving
materials

Look at this collection of objects or shapes. Shut your eyes while I pick one up and hide it. Open your
eyes. Tell me which object or shape I have hidden.
Number lines
Odd one out
5rectangles

Sort and classify shapes using Venn and Carroll diagrams, e.g. all the 3-D solids with a rectangular
face
Cube, Cuboid, Sphere, Cylinder, Cone
Information
- teaching
mental
calculation
strategies
- teaching
written
strategies
- exemplification
of standards
Could
ICT files
1b-1a

1
Yr 2
Must
Understanding
3d shape
Shape and
space
activities
booklet
Use everyday language
to describe the features
of 3-D shapes.
Use mathematical
vocabulary to describe
3-D shapes; sort shapes
and describe some of
their features.
Shape tools
Further
examples of
pitch and
expectations:

Problem solving
materials
Should
Line of symmetry
Spot the shapes
Making shapes
Creating shapes
Number lines
Odd one out
Jack and the
beanstalk
Coloured shape
Triangles and
pentagons
Bucket and spade
6triangles
- teaching
mental
calculation
strategies
- teaching
written
strategies
- exemplification
of standards
Could
Classify and describe
3D shapes and
understand the terms
vertex and prism.
Recognise and name the following shapes:
Cube, Cuboid, Sphere, Cylinder, Cone, Pyramid

Describe some of the features of 3D shapes including the shapes of faces, the number of faces, edges
and corners.

Using a set of solid shapes, choose an example to match properties described by others, e.g. Show me
the shapes that have: at least one rectangular face, one curved face, eight corners,


Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ questions about a hidden shape in order to identify it
Describe the shape or solid in the cloth bag as you feel it. What might it be? Why? How do you know
this shape is a …? How do you know this shape isn't a …?
Imagine a cube. Four faces are yellow; the rest are blue. How many faces are blue?
Describe this shape/solid to a friend. Can they guess what it is?

Use their knowledge of shape names and properties, for example to predict which 3-D shapes will roll
and which will slide when placed on a slope


Sort 3-D shapes in different ways according to their properties of their faces such as whether they:
have six faces; have a triangular face, a rectangular face ….

They recognise and name shapes in different positions and orientations, including in pictures,

Make and describe shape patterns using solid shapes.

Relate solid shapes to pictures of them.


Match familiar solids to their pictures and use a construction kit to make a model of a 3-D solid that I
know
Build models out of 3-D shapes and record the shapes used. For example:


My model was made with 7 cuboids, 10 cubes,
6 cylinders and 1 cone.
ICT files
year 2
Information
3-D shapes
Pictures of 3-D
shapes
Labels of shape
names/key
vocabulary
Every day objects
e.g. boxes, balls,
tins etc.
Yes/No cards
Construction kits
Straws, clay,
Plasticine,
multilink
Hoops for sorting




Make a skeleton shape from a construction kit or straws, and count the
number of edges or corners.
Relate 3-D shapes to pictures of them.
For example:
match familiar solids to their pictures; use cubes to make ‘single-layered’ solids from pictures.
2c-2b
Year Target
Yr 3
Understanding
3d shape
Shape and
space
activities
booklet
Group Target
Must
Should
Use mathematical
vocabulary to describe
3D shapes; sort shapes
and describe some of
their features.
Classify and describe
3D shapes and
understand the terms
vertex and prism.
Shape tools
Further
examples of
pitch and
expectations:
Classify and describe
3D shapes and visualise
3D shapes from 2D
drawings (including
being able to identify
simple nets of solid
shapes).
year 3
Information
- teaching
mental
calculation
strategies
- teaching
written
strategies
- exemplification
of standards
Could
Key Resources
/ Models and
Images
Outcomes
 Recognise and name the following shapes:
3-D shapes
Pictures of 3-D
shapes
Labels of shape
names/key
vocabulary
Every day objects
e.g. boxes, balls,
tins etc.
Yes/No cards
Construction
kits/polydron
Straws, pipe
cleaners, clay,
Plasticine
Hoops for sorting
ICT files
Names and
properties of 2D
and 3D shapes
Shape sort
3d shape facts
Quadrilateraltriangle Venn
diagram sorter
Cube, Cuboid (Rectangular Prism), Sphere, Cylinder, Cone, Pyramid, Triangular Prism
 Read and use the terms ‘vertex’ and ‘vertices’
 Recognise 3-D shapes and make collections, for example, of shapes that are prisms.
 Know that a prism has the same cross-section along its length, and that its two end-faces are
identical.
 Name and describe solids, using the correct language: 'A triangular prism has two identical
triangular faces at opposite ends and the other three faces are rectangles'; 'A hemisphere is a
sphere cut in half. It has one flat face and a curved surface.'
 Sort 3-D shapes using criteria such as the number of vertices, edges or faces . They find the
number of edges of assorted prisms to investigate the general statement : The number of
edges of a prism is always a multiple of 3.
 Sort 3-D shapes in different ways according to properties such as:
-Whether or not they are prisms
-The number of faces, edges, vertices
 To draw a picture of a cube, would you use straight or curved lines? What about a cylinder?
 Select from this set a shape that has:
no right angles;
all sides equal;
five vertices.
 Relate 3D shapes to pictures of them, for example match
familiar 3-D shapes to pictures of them
Use cubes to build double-layered solids from pictures.
 Recognise that two or more shapes can be put together
in different ways to make new shapes. For example, find
different shapes that can be made by fitting four cubes
together face to face.
Problem solving
materials
Create new
shapes
Sorting shapes
Describing
position
Rows of coins
Odds and evens
Straw squares
Circle sums

I dip a triangular prism in paint and make a print of each face. What shapes will I print?
 use appropriate mathematical vocabulary to describe the features of common 2-D and 3-D
shapes including semicircles, hemispheres and prisms
2a-3c
Yr 4
Understanding
3d shape
Shape and
space
activities
booklet
Must
Should
Classify and describe
3D shapes and
understand the terms
vertex and prism.
Describe 3D shapes and
visualise from 2D
drawings (including
being able to identify
simple nets of solid
shapes).
Shape tools
Classify and describe
3D shapes and visualise
from 2D drawings
(including being able to
identify the nets of an
open cube).
Further
examples of
pitch and
expectations:
year 4
Information
- exemplification
of standards
ICT files
Names and
properties of 2D
and 3D shapes
Properties of 3D
shapes
3D shape properties
- teaching
mental
calculation
strategies
- teaching
written
strategies
3-D shapes
Pictures of 3-D
shapes
Labels of shape
names/key
vocabulary
Every day objects
e.g. boxes, balls,
tins etc.
Construction
kits/polydron
Straws, pipe
cleaners, clay,
Plasticine, multilink
Hoops for sorting
Could
Shape quiz
3d shape facts
Carroll diagrams
for sorting shapes
Quadrilateraltriangle Venn
diagram sorter
Problem solving
materials
Reflecting shapes
Rows of coins
Odds and evens
Straw squares
Circle sums
Tangram
3 by 3 grid
 Recognise, name and describe the following shapes:
cube, cuboid (rectangular prism), sphere, cylinder, cone, pyramid, prism, triangular prism, hemisphere, tetrahedron, polyhedron
 Know that a prism has the same cross section along its length and that the two end faces are
identical
 Identify simple nets of 3D shapes e.g. unfolded packets which are cubes or cuboids.
 Draw in lines where you would fold this shape to make a cube.
Use a ruler to measure where they would go.
 I am thinking of a 3-D shape. It has a square base. It has four other
faces, which are triangles. What is the name of the 3-D shape?
 Know that in a polyhedron:
Each face is a flat surface and a polygon
An edge is the straight line where two faces meet
A vertex is the point where two or more faces meet
 Visualise 3D shapes from 2D drawings, e.g. work out how many cubes will be needed to make a
given picture.
 identify the shapes of faces of common 3-D shapes, and count the number of faces, edges and
vertices (corners) of cubes, cuboids, pyramids and prisms.
 From their experience of handling 3-D shapes and describing their properties, they visualise mental
images of the shapes.
 They can name a 3-D shape which has been secretly hidden in a drawstring bag. They look at
drawings of 3-D shapes and relate them to real shapes.


Name three different 3-D shapes that can have at least one square face.
Here is a cereal packet. Describe what you think its net might look like.

Anna makes a cube using straws. First she joins four straws to make a
square. Then she joins more straws to make a cube. Altogether, how
many straws has she used?
 There are three shapes in a row. What order are they in and what colour
are they? Clues: The cube is in the middle.; The pink shape is not on the right. ; The red shape
is next to the pyramid; The cone is not blue.

Look at a picture of a model made from
predict the least number of cubes
They then build the shape to check
correct.



Use their knowledge of the faces of 3-D shapes to begin to construct their own net of a cuboid
construct the net of an open cube using a set-square and ruler to draw the five squares
construct the net of an open cuboid.
interlocking cubes and
needed to build it.
whether they are
 construct a model using cubes, take a digital photograph of it, then challenge others to recreate it.
3c-3b
Year Target
Yr 5
Understanding
3d shape
Shape and
space
activities
booklet
Group Target
Must
Should
Describe 3-D shapes
and visualise from 2-D
drawings (including
being able to identify
simple nets of solid
shapes).
Classify and describe 3D shapes and visualise
from 2-D drawings
(including being able to
identify the nets of an
open cube).
Key Resources
/ Models and
Images
3-D shapes
Pictures of 3-D
shapes
Labels of shape
names/key
vocabulary
Every day objects
e.g. boxes, balls,
tins etc.
Construction
kits/polydron
Straws, pipe
cleaners, clay,
Plasticine, multilink
Hoops for sorting
Outcomes

cube, cuboid (rectangular prism), sphere, cylinder, cone, pyramid, prism, triangular
prism, hemi-sphere, tetrahedron, octahedron, polyhedron



ICT files
Shape quiz
year 5
Information
- teaching
mental
calculation
strategies
- teaching
written
strategies
- exemplification
of standards

3D shape properties
Classify, describe and
identify the nets of 3-D
shapes (including closed
cubes).
Could
I am thinking of a 3-D shape. It has a square base. It has four other faces which are triangles. What
is the name of the 3-D shape?

Shape tools
Further
examples of
pitch and
expectations:
Recognise, name and describe the following shapes:
Is this a net for an open cube? Explain why not.
visualise and describe 3-D shapes according to a range of properties including:
the shapes of faces,
the number of faces, edges and vertices,
and whether the number of edges meeting at each vertex is the same (as in a cube) or
different (as in a square-based pyramid).
solve problems involving 3-D shapes, for example finding all of the possible nets for an open cube
or sorting a set of 3-D shapes using an ICT 'binary tree' program
Carroll diagrams
for sorting shapes
Quadrilateraltriangle Venn
diagram sorter
Problem solving
materials
Look at these diagrams. Which of them
are nets of a square-based pyramid?
Explain how you know.

Work out the least number of unit cubes needed to turn this shape into a
cuboid.
 extend their knowledge of the properties of 3-D and 2-D shapes, including the tetrahedron and
octahedron
 identify shapes that have pairs of parallel or perpendicular sides or edges.
Polyhedra chain
Planet Zargon
Cube face colour;
Five squares



explore how many different shapes they can make from five squares touching edge to edge. They
understand that if rotations and reflections of the shapes are not counted as different there are 12
shapes to be found. They investigate which of these shapes can be folded up to make an open
cube
investigate the number of different shapes that can be made by placing four cubes face to face.
They draw accurate nets for a range of 3-D shapes, including the nets of prisms
3a-4c
Yr 6
Must
Understanding
3d shape
Shape and
space
activities
booklet
Classify and describe
3D shapes and visualise
from 2D drawings
(including being able to
identify the nets of an
open cube).
Classify, describe and
identify the nets of 3D
shapes (including closed
cubes).
Shape tools
Further
examples of
pitch and
expectations:
year 6
Information
Should
3-D shapes
Pictures of 3-D
shapes
Labels of shape
names/key
vocabulary
Construction
kits/polydron
Straws, pipe
cleaners, clay,
Plasticine, multilink
Hoops for sorting
Unit plans:
Autumn unit 8
Autumn unit 10
Spring unit 8
Summer unit 3
Summer unit 7
Summer unit 11
Springboard
Lesson 11
Lesson 14
Lesson 17
Lesson 28
ICT files
Rotations and
coordinates
Quadrilateral
rummy
Problem solving
materials
- teaching
mental
calculation
strategies
- teaching
written
strategies




Tangram; 3 by 3
grid; Cube nets
Could
Use 2-D representations
and oral descriptions to
visualise 3-D shapes
and deduce some of
their properties.
Describe the properties of 3-D shapes, such as parallel or perpendicular, faces or
edges e.g. Look at this cube. How many edges are parallel to this one? How many
edges are perpendicular to this one?
make and draw shapes and apply their knowledge of the properties; for example, they use art
straws to create 'skeleton' shapes

Name and describe the properties of a dodecahedron

Identify the nets of 3D shapes




Imagine a triangular prism. How many faces does it have? Are any
of the faces parallel to each other?
 How many pairs of parallel edges has a square-based pyramid?
How many perpendicular edges?
 Look at these 3-D shapes (e.g. a cuboid, tetrahedron, squarebased pyramid and octahedron). Show me a face that is parallel to
this one. Which face is perpendicular to this one?
What can you tell me about the faces of a cuboid? Why are so many packing boxes made in the
shape of a cuboid?
Use your ruler and protractor. Draw the net of a regular tetrahedron with edges of 6 cm.
describe the shape generated by cutting through a tetrahedron or a triangular right prism in a
plane parallel to a base.
classify 3-D shapes using criteria such as 'has at least one pair of parallel faces'.
investigate the number of edges, faces and vertices in polyhedra, record these in a table and
explore the relationship: the number of vertices plus the number of faces equals the number of
edges.
Here are four diagrams.
On each one put a tick ( ) if it is a net of a cube.
Put a cross ( ) if it is not.

Add a square to complete the net to make a closed cube.





 Visualise 3-D shapes from 2-D
Polyhedra chain;
Triangles;
Symmetry ;
Planet Zargon;;
Cube face colour;
- exemplification
of standards
Recognise, name and describe the following shapes:
cube, cuboid (rectangular prism), sphere, cylinder, cone, pyramid, prism, triangular prism,
hemi-sphere, tetrahedron, octahedron, dodecahedron, polyhedron.
drawings e.g. find and justify the least number of cubes needed
to complete a given shape.





Count the number of faces and edges. Recognise properties such as:
all pyramids have an even number of edges;
the number of straight edges in a prism is a multiple of 3;
the number of faces of a pyramid is one more than the number of edges of the base;
the number of faces of a prism is two more than the number of edges of an end face…
4b-4a
Yr 6
Understanding
3d shape
Shape and
space
activities
booklet
Must
Classify and describe
3D shapes and visualise
from 2D drawings
(including being able to
identify the nets of an
open cube).
Classify, describe and
identify the nets of 3D
shapes (including closed
cubes).
Should
Shape tools
Further
examples of
pitch and
expectations:
year 6 into year
7
Use 2-D representations
and oral descriptions to
visualise 3-D shapes
and deduce some of
their properties.
Could
3-D shapes
Pictures of 3-D
shapes
Labels of shape
names/key
vocabulary
Every day objects
e.g. boxes, balls,
tins etc.
Construction
kits/polydron
Straws, pipe
cleaners, clay,
Plasticine, multilink
Hoops for sorting
Unit plans:
Autumn unit 8
Autumn unit 10
Spring unit 8
Summer unit 3
Summer unit 7
Summer unit 11
Springboard
Lesson 11
Lesson 14
Lesson 17
Lesson 28
ICT files
Rotations and
coordinates
Quadrilateral
rummy
Problem solving
materials

A cube has shaded triangles on three of its faces.



Here is the net of the cube.
Draw in the two missing shaded
triangles.
Imagine you have two identical cubes. Place them together, matching face to face. Name and
describe the new solid. How many faces, edges, vertices…?

Imagine cutting off a corner of a cube. Describe the new face created. Describe
the new solid. How many faces, edges, vertices...?
 Sit back to back with a partner. Look at the picture of the model.
Don’t show it to your partner. Tell your partner how to build the model.
 Join in a ‘guess the shape’ activity.
A solid made from centimetre cubes is placed in a bag.
a. Take turns to describe one element of the shape by feeling it. Others try to make the same shape.
b. Take turns to describe the shape while others try to guess what it is.
c. Guess a hidden solid shape by asking questions about it to which only yes/no answers can be
given.
 On a six-sided dice, the faces are numbered from 1 to 6, and opposite faces
should add up to 7. Draw a net for a cube. Choose a face and write 5 on it. Now
write numbers on the other faces so that when the cube is folded up, opposite
faces add up to 7.

Find all possible solids that can be made from four cubes. Record the solids
using isometric paper.

Investigate the number of different ways that a 2 by 2 by 2 cube can be split
into two pieces:
a. of the same shape and size;
b. of different shapes and sizes.
Polyhedra chain;
Triangles;
Symmetry ;
Planet Zargon;;
Cube face colour;
Tangram; 3 by 3
grid; Cube nets
5c-5b