Properties of Shape - Reasoning about 3D Shapes - Planning

In a Year 5 summer term lesson focused on the properties of shapes, students delve into the world of 3-dimensional geometry. The lesson aims to develop their reasoning skills about 3D shapes by exploring their 2D representations, including nets, plans, and elevations. A variety of resources are used to support learning, such as physical 3D and 2D shapes, nets of 3D shapes, Polydron construction tools, whiteboards, and pens, along with worksheets and a presentation. Key vocabulary terms like 'vertex', 'edge', 'face', and 'net' are introduced, and students are encouraged to visit the website for further vocabulary support. The session begins with a recap of prior knowledge, followed by a hands-on activity where children name and describe the properties of various 3D shapes, using a cube as a model to understand the terminology of faces, edges, and vertices.

The lesson continues with practical tasks, such as constructing 3D shapes from paper nets and using Polydron sets to build shapes in partner work, encouraging discussion about the properties of the shapes and the possibility of multiple shapes arising from the same descriptions. As the students engage in these activities, they are prompted to consider key questions about the differences between 2D and 3D shapes, the nature of faces versus curved surfaces, and the patterns in the number of faces and vertices in prisms and pyramids. The lesson also addresses common misconceptions, such as confusing prisms with pyramids and the identification of opposite faces on open nets. The plenary session involves a 'Give me five' reflection activity, where students share their learning, the skills they've used, and the challenges they've faced. To cater to varying levels of understanding, differentiated worksheets are provided, ranging from identifying basic 3D shapes like cubes and pyramids by their nets to matching complex shapes with their nets and descriptions for those working at greater depth.