Math Ese 4 All Lesson Plan
Math in 3D
Elizabeth Parsons
6th Grade
3D Geometric Solids
A. State Competency – Standard 3.1
Standard 3. Geometry – The students will use geometric properties and relationships to recognize,
describe, and analyze shapes and representations in a variety of contexts.
1. Compare and contrast the basic characteristics of three-dimensional figures (pyramids,
prisms, cones, and cylinders).
B. Objectives – The students will learn the names of each geometric solid (sphere, cube, rectangular
prism, triangular prism, cylinder, cone, triangular pyramid, and rectangular pyramid) and be able to
name the number of edges, faces, and vertices of each. The students will be able to name lateral faces
and bases of the different 3D shapes. The students will recognize what 2D polygons make up the 3D
shapes. The objectives will be measured using student observation, question and answer segments and
the pre/posttest.
C. Materials and Resources –
Books and Websites
Lakeshore (2005) Geometry Activity Kit pg. 5, 24, 25 & 27. Carson, CA: Lakeshore.
SI Manufacturing (2007) ClearView Volumetric Solids, pg. 2 & 3. Newmarket, ON Canada: Spectrum
Educational Supplies.
English/Spanish Picture Dictionary. Learning Resources. Vernon Hills, IL USA
Bruce, A. (2008) from Maths Games & Maths Resources from adrianbruce.com.
adrianbruce.com/maths/nets/3d_shapes.htm.
Other Resources & Materials:
Internet
Smartboard
ELMO document camera
Airliner
Posterboard
Gummy bears
Toothpicks
Clay
3D plastic shapes
For the main part of the lesson, I will use Lakeshore’s Geometry Activity Kit, pg. 5, 24, 25, & 27. I
will also use gummy bears and toothpicks to show models and have the students create models of the
various 3D shapes. For my first learning center, I will use SI ClearView Volumetric Solids Book, pg. 2 & 3.
My second learning center will use geometric shapes from adrianbruce.com. My third learning center
will access the Internet by searching for different shapes to print, categorize and display in the
classroom.
D. Instruction – Pretest will be given the day before the lesson is taught. The lesson will take one day.
The learning activities and post test will take two days for a total of three days of instructional time.
a. Introduction - Sixth grade students have been introduced to 3D shapes for the past several years.
They are building on that knowledge. They should be able to name all of the geometric solids, yet after
teaching 6th grade for 3 years now, I realize that they often cannot. I will begin the lesson by reviewing
all 2D shapes and by reviewing vocabulary such as polygon, triangle, square, rectangle and circle.
b. Instructional Process – Day 1: Whole group discussion and creation of models.
I will introduce 2D geometry vocabulary by having students brainstorm as many 2D shapes as possible
and then discussing the properties of each. After reviewing these, I will begin the lesson by passing out
all the gummy bears and toothpicks that will be used to create the 3D models. Students will work with
their partner when making the models. I will begin by making a square using toothpicks and gummy
bears. Then I will show this on the ELMO, so that they can follow along and create their own model of a
cube. We will discuss why a cone and sphere cannot be made with toothpicks and gum drops. (They
have curved edges.) We will discuss that a toothpick represents an edge, a gummy bear represents a
vertex, and that a face is the flat space between them. I have many plastic models that they can also
touch to determine the number of faces, edges, and vertices. As we go through each shape, we will fill
out the chart on pg. 27 of the Geometry Activity Kit. I will use my Airliner to write remotely on my
Smartboard so that I can walk around the room and observe the students as they work.
After we have gone over each geometric shape and created a model, we will compare and
contrast the different shapes. For this I will use pg. 24 & 25 in the Geometry Activity Kit. To save time, I
will have the shapes and labels cut out and grouped together with the Venn Diagrams.
The students will first use the Venn Diagram – A and arrange the solids according to certain
criteria. Exp. Identify those solids that have at least one circular face and place them inside the circle.
We will discuss why they are classifying shapes a certain way. After that, we will use the bottom part of
Diagram A and compare and contrast certain shapes. Exp. I will have them place triangle in one circle
and rectangle in the other then have the students group the shapes according to their characteristics.
They will explain why they grouped the shapes the way they did to become more familiar with edges,
vertices and faces.
At the end of Day 1, I will pass out vocabulary sheets to be placed in their math notes that have
each shape and its definition on it. This and the Chart on pg. 27 will aid the students in studying for their
posttest.
Day 2
Learning Activity 1 – Sorting Solids from Volumetric Solids, pg. 2 & 3. We will review the 2D polygons
that make up 3D shapes. Then I will pass out a set of 3D shapes to each group of four. They will go
through the activity on page 2 and discuss with each other the characteristics of the shapes. Learning
Activity 1 will be a visual, tactile and auditory lesson. The students will look at each shape and physically
touch each shape to name faces, edges, and vertices. They will listen their partners explain why they
grouped certain shapes and agree or disagree with them. Each student will get a chance to explain why
they think a shape should be grouped a certain way.
Learning Activity 2 - We will then go to the computer lab and find shapes on the Internet to save and
print. We will put these on posters to display in our room. This lesson will be visual and tactile. The
students will be asked to find at least three different 3D shapes on the Internet, save and print them.
Then they will classify each shape, based on faces, edges and vertices, and glue it to posters that will be
posted in the classroom.
Day 3
Learning Activity 3 - The students will use the nets from adrianbruce.com to create each shape. They
will cut out and tape each net together. This lesson is visual and tactile. Each student will have their
own set of 3D shapes to use for the remainder of the year to help them remember the number of edges,
vertices, and faces each 3D shape has. The posttest will also be given on day three.
c. Closure – At the end of the Learning Activity 3, we will go over the different shapes in a whole class
discussion. I will discuss all vocabulary (lateral faces, base, etc.) and answer any questions that the
students still have.
E. Assessment – I will assess the students’ knowledge by questioning during all activities, how they
respond during the comparing/contrasting portion of the activities, and by their improvement on the
posttest. I will expect them to use correct vocabulary and be able to tell me, when asked, the
similarities and differences between certain 3D shapes.
F. Modifications/Accommodations – I have one student in my classroom that has been in the US for
one year. She came to me as a 5th grader speaking no English. While she has come very far speaking
and understanding English in one year, I will use the English/Spanish dictionary given to me at MathEse
to ensure that she grasps the concepts of this lesson. I also have one special education student whose
area of weakness is mathematics. I will make sure that she is given more time to respond and is put
with group members that will not do everything for her, but include her in the activity. If needed, I will
decrease the number of questions on the posttest from 20 to 15.
G. Reflection - I was amazed when I gave the pre-test at how much the 6th graders had forgotten since
last year. We cover the geometric shapes, faces, vertices, and edges in 5th grade. The new concepts are
base shape and lateral face. I was worried in the beginning that the pre-test would be too easy for them
and was surprised by how low the pre-test scores were. Prisms and pyramids were consistently
confused with each other. After the lesson and activities, most students did much better on the post
test. There was an average of about 30% improvement from pre to post test.
I thought that using food would encourage the students to want to learn about the different
geometric shapes. I found that using marshmallows would have probably worked better than the
gummy bears that I used. Gummy bears get warm and don’t hold the shape quite as well as I thought
they would. However, students were able to recognize the edges (toothpicks) and vertices (gummy
bears) easily; faces were a little more difficult. An extension of the lesson was the vocabulary term
polyhedron. The students learned that a sphere, cone and cylinder were not polyhedrons.
Activity 1 had to be modified because all of my sets of 3D shapes were not the same. This worked fairly
well, but I had to take out some of the group questions. Students discussed the similarities and
differences of the 3D shapes with each other and talked about why certain answers were or were not
correct. During Activity 2, the students loved going to the computer lab and searching for different
types of 3D shapes. Every student had their own computer and was able to access the Internet, search
and locate 3D shapes easily. We then grouped the shapes. I found that they discussed what each shape
was with each other and checked to make sure they categorized each one correctly. I found that the
students talked about the properties of the shapes. They used good vocabulary (faces, edges, etc.) to
talk with each other. Students that don’t normally discuss math asked and even answered questions
other students had. For the 3rd Activity we made 3D shapes using the silly faced nets from
adrianbruce.com. This was a good activity, but I think next time I do this lesson, I’ll have a place for the
students to store the shapes. It was difficult for the students to carry all the shapes with them once they
had them put together. Overall, I think the lesson and activities went well. I will change a few things
next time I teach this PASS skill.