Math lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes
Faces, edges and vertices of 3D shapes
Geometry
CCSS 2.G.A.1England: Y2 Geometry
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Faces, edges and vertices of 3D shapes.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Name 3D shapes
Leads to: Match nets to 3D shapes; Match nets to solids and count faces, edges and vertices; Describe cross-sections of solids
Materials: Rulers and protractors, Squared or dotted paper, Shape cut-outs, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Name 3D shapes). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What 3D shape is an ice-cream cone most like? (cube / cylinder / cone / sphere) → conePrompt: Does it roll? Does it have flat faces?
- Which of these is a flat (2D) shape: cube, sphere, hexagon? (sphere / hexagon / cube) → hexagonPrompt: Flat shapes can be drawn on paper. Solid shapes can be picked up.
- What 3D shape is a cereal box most like? (sphere / cuboid / cone / cylinder) → cuboidPrompt: Does it roll? Does it have flat faces?
Hook · 3 min
- Show a photo of a building, a tile pattern or a road sign and ask what shapes and angles students can spot.
- Share the objective: Faces, edges and vertices of 3D shapes. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: How many edges does a cuboid have?
- Step 1: A cuboid has 6 faces, 12 edges and 8 vertices.
- Answer: 12
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- How many vertices (corners) does a cube have? → 8Prompt: Faces are flat surfaces, edges are where two faces meet, vertices are corners.
- How many faces does a triangular pyramid (tetrahedron) have? → 4Prompt: Faces are flat surfaces, edges are where two faces meet, vertices are corners.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- How many edges does a square-based pyramid have? → 8Prompt: Faces are flat surfaces, edges are where two faces meet, vertices are corners.
- How many edges does a cuboid have? → 12Prompt: Faces are flat surfaces, edges are where two faces meet, vertices are corners.
Watch out for
- Thinking a square turned on its corner is no longer a square.
- Reading the wrong scale on a protractor.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Name 3D shapes.
- Use concrete materials: rulers and protractors.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Match nets to 3D shapes; Match nets to solids and count faces, edges and vertices; Describe cross-sections of solids.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder