Mathematics / Year 3 / Measurement and Geometry / Shape

Curriculum content descriptions

Make models of three-dimensional objects and describe key features (ACMMG063)

Elaborations
  • exploring the creation of three-dimensional objects using origami, including prisms and pyramids
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Numeracy Numeracy
ScOT terms

Solids (Geometry)

Interactive

How does your garden grow?

This Stage 2 resource grew from a conversation between young students questioning why they could still buy grapes if they were out of season. This wondering led to a discussion around when we grow certain fruit and vegetables. The original stimulus was extended to cover planting for the seasons and factors that influence ...

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Exploring mysterious shapes

Join QuanQuan and Jenny as they explore some weird and wonderful shapes! While watching this clip, think about the sides, edges, surfaces and volumes of the shapes that are demonstrated. How are these shapes different from regular 2D and 3D forms?

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Mixed Up Maths, Ep 13: Shapes glorious shapes

Did you know that not all pyramids have a square base? Investigate the bases and faces of some pyramids. Travel around the world as we view some famous structures. First stop, we're in search of a building that is a rectangular prism. Find out which world famous building is a pentagonal prism. See what type of 3 dimensional ...

Interactive

Face painter: finding faces 1

Identify polygons on a range of prisms and polyhedra such as a cube, square pyramid or triangular prism. Picture in your head all sides of a solid. Estimate how many faces the object has. Rotate it to see all of its faces. Paint each face of a given shape such as a triangle or rectangle.

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Skeleton Shapes

This resource is a web page containing a practical task to model 3-D objects. The task suggests the use of straws and modelling clay or similar material to create a model of firstly a cube and next other 3-D objects. A printable resource is also available to support the task. This resource is an activity from the NRICH website.

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Understanding relationships between the properties of 2D shapes helps visualise and organise spaces in the world Multi-age 3–6 Year B – Unit 12

This 2-week unit unit develops the big idea that understanding relationships between the properties of 2D shapes helps visualise and organise spaces in the world. Students are provided opportunities to: combine and split common shapes; transform two-dimensional and composite figures by reflecting, translating, and rotating; ...

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What needs to be measured determines the unit of measurement Multi-age 3–6 Year B – Unit 9

This 2-week unit unit develops the big idea that what needs to be measured determines the unit of measurement. Students are provided opportunities to: compare and describe features of three-dimensional objects by making and exploring models, sketches and diagrams; construct and draw models from given views; use formal units ...

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Teaching with videogames: Mini Melbourne - Exploring Geometry using Minecraft

In this lesson, students will explore the 'Mini Melbourne 2.0' in Minecraft to identify and locate different 3D shapes in the open world. Students will use this game as a way to explore their own world and discover how shapes, both 2D and 3D, exist in their world in many forms.

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Introduction to Shapes Year 2 - Calculate

The focus of this activity is to discover the language that students are using to describe the features of shapes. Although students may know the names of many shapes, and may know the difference between a square and a circle, the description of why these shapes are different may not be mathematically accurate. Listen to ...

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Pattern Blocks - Calculate

This activity uses pattern blocks to explore patterns and the relationship between numbers. Students use the blocks to create and describe other shapes and since the blocks are relational they can be used for other investigations. For example, turn the blocks into units – if the triangle is one what is the value of the hexagon?

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Guess My Shape or Object - Calculate

The focus of this activity is to encourage and support students to describe two dimensional shapes and three dimensional objects according to their features or properties.

Downloadable

Categorisation

Use this task to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of properties of shapes, and language they use when describing common features.

Downloadable

First steps in mathematics: Space

This guide supports teachers to develop students’ geometric understandings.

Downloadable

Geometry: Foundation to Year 9

This comprehensive resource describes the progression of geometric reasoning. The resource demonstrates examples of relevant teaching strategies, investigations, activity plans and connected concepts in geometry including teaching and cultural implications.

Downloadable

First steps in Mathematics: Space – Diagnostic tasks

A collection of diagnostic tasks designed to use with students to assess their understanding of space-related concepts in mathematics.

Interactive

Sites2See: Space and Geometry for Primary

Selected links to online resources that can support the teaching and learning of geometry for primary-aged students.

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Taronga Zoo - Wild Australia: iPad app

This iPad app is designed for Stage 2 students to use while on excursion in the Wild Australia area in Taronga Zoo Sydney and at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo. Students create a field report from observations and can email and review their editable summary poster for further study back at school. The app has intuitive ...

Video

For the Juniors: Drawing a floor plan

How do we know what a house will look like before it is built? Discover how house plans work by looking at the design of a house that Hugo's family is going to build. See how a floor plan shows the room layout. See drawings of what the house will look like from different views.

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Visual representations help understand aspects of our world (chance and position) Multi-age 3–6 Year B – Unit 8

This 2-week unit unit develops the big idea that visual representations help us understand aspects of our world. Students are provided opportunities to: use directional language to interpret and locate positions on a grid map; predict and describe possible outcomes from chance experiments; use visualisation, language and ...

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Fractions represent multiple ideas and can be represented in different ways Multi-age 3–6 Year B – Unit 4

This 2-week unit unit develops the big idea that fractions represent multiple ideas and can be represented in different ways. Students are provided opportunities to: partition, measure, label and compare lengths and wholes using fractions; solve problems with fractions; represent and compare fractions of measures and quantities; ...