by C. Elkins, OK Math and Reading Lady
Composing and decomposing 3D shapes should help your students become more familiar with their attributes. Here are a few activities to help. With emphasis on hands-on methods, examining real 3D shapes may help students find edges, vertices, and faces better than pictorial models.
- Nets of 3D shapes are the least expensive way to get a set of 3D objects in each child’s hand, especially since most classrooms just usually have 1 set of plastic or wooden 3D shapes.
- Build cubes and rectangular prisms using blocks or connecting cubes.
- Construct / deconstruct prisms using toothpicks, straws, coffee stirrers, craft sticks, or pretzel sticks as the edges. For the vertices, use clay, playdough, gum drops or slightly dried out marshmallows.
- Lucky enough to have a set of tinker toys? Or Magna Tiles? (We got our grandson some Magna Tiles and he loves them! These tiles have magnetic edges which can hook together in an instant. Creating a cube, rectangular prism, pyramid, etc. is easy! They are kind of expensive, but very versatile and creative.)
- Teach students how to draw 3D shapes. When composing a 3D shape, a student becomes more aware of the 2D faces, the edges, and the vertices they are drawing. Plus, if needed the student can draw the 3D shape on paper to assist them if taking a computer based assessment. Here is my tutorial (below), but I’ll also include a couple of good websites in case you are 3D challenged. Click HERE for the pdf of the templates below.
- Observe how students count the edges, vertices, and faces. If they are randomly trying to count them, they likely will be incorrect. When needed, show them how to be methodical with their counting (ie: When counting the edges of a cube, run your finger along the edge as you count. Count the top 4 edges, then the bottom 4 edges, then the 4 vertical edges = 12.)
One of my favorite lessons regarding decomposing shapes is when teaching students (5th grade and up) how to measure surface area. Click HERE for the free pdf guide for creating the rectangular prisms shown below. It includes a blank grid so you can create your own (all courtesy of http:illuminations.nctm.org using their “dynamic paper” lesson). Continue reading