Properties of shape - Count vertices on 3D shapes - Starter

In a mathematics lesson for Year 2, students are encouraged to explore the properties of 3D shapes by counting vertices, edges, and faces. The lesson begins with a 'Fluent in Four - Revision' activity, where students tackle subtraction problems such as '76 – 49' and 'Double 47 subtract sixty-three', challenging their arithmetic skills. The lesson then transitions to a table completion exercise, where students must identify the name, number of edges, and faces of shapes like cones, triangular prisms, and cylinders. This part of the lesson reinforces their understanding of geometric properties and shape recognition.

Further activities in the lesson include comparing number sentences using terms like 'less than', 'equal to', and 'greater than' to develop their numerical reasoning. For example, they compare the sums of '3 + 4' and '1 + 6', and '4 + 4' with '3 + 2', circling the correct comparative word. The lesson also incorporates practical applications of mathematics, such as counting fingers and calculating the total number of fingers in multiple groups of hands. For instance, students work out that there are '5 groups of 7 hands, which is equal to 35 fingers'. These exercises aim to strengthen the pupils' addition and comparison skills in a real-world context, fostering both their numerical fluency and analytical thinking.