Properties of shape - Count sides and 2D shapes - Presentation

In an engaging lesson on the properties of 2D shapes, students are invited to delve into the world of geometry by counting the sides of various shapes. The lesson begins with a simple yet crucial question: "What is a 'side'?" This fundamental concept is explored by examining shapes on the students' tables and identifying their sides. The lesson continues with practical activities where students are tasked to match different shapes to their corresponding number of sides. For example, they are asked how many sides a triangle has, and through discussion and hands-on learning, they confirm that a triangle indeed has three sides.

Building on this foundational knowledge, the students then proceed to more complex tasks such as colouring in all the four-sided shapes, which leads to the discovery that not all four-sided shapes are identical. This observation opens up a conversation about the diversity of shapes and their characteristics. The lesson also includes a series of reasoning activities that challenge students to apply their understanding creatively. They use sticks to construct hexagons and other polygons, compare and contrast their own handcrafted rectangles with those of their peers, and even arrange shapes in order from the most to the fewest number of sides. The lesson culminates with independent work where students match shape names to the number of sides, complete tables with missing information, and order shapes based on the number of sides they have, fostering a comprehensive and interactive approach to learning about the properties of 2D shapes.