Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Identify and name pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and ovals.
• Identify and name cubes, rectangular prisms, spheres, cylinders, cones, and pyramids.
• Describe the properties of these shapes and objects.
• Sort shapes and objects based on their properties.
• Find examples of these shapes and objects around you.

Lesson summary

This week, we're going to become shape detectives! We'll be exploring more 2D shapes and 3D objects, learning their names, how to describe them, and where we can find them all around us. Understanding shapes is super important because they are everywhere! Think about the rectangular shape of your school books, the circular shape of a soccer ball, or the triangular shape of the warning signs you see on the road. Even the bricks that build our houses are different 3D shapes. Learning about shapes helps us understand the world better, build things, and even solve problems. This is important in South Africa because from building RDP houses to designing colourful beadwork, shapes are essential.

Lesson notes

Let's dive into the world of shapes! 2D Shapes 2D shapes are flat shapes that only have length and width. We can draw them on a piece of paper.

Pentagon: A pentagon has 5 sides and 5 corners (vertices). Think of the Pentagon building in America (though it’s not in South Africa, it gives an idea of the shape!).

Hexagon: A hexagon has 6 sides and 6 corners (vertices). You might see hexagons in the honeycomb where bees make honey.

Octagon: An octagon has 8 sides and 8 corners (vertices). A stop sign is usually an octagon!

Oval: An oval looks like a stretched-out circle. Think of an egg! It has no straight sides or corners. 3D Objects 3D objects are solid shapes that have length, width, and height. We can hold them in our hands.

Cube: A cube has 6 square faces. All the edges of a cube are the same length. Think of a dice or a sugar cube.

Rectangular Prism (Cuboid): A rectangular prism has 6 rectangular faces. A shoebox or a brick is a rectangular prism.

Sphere: A sphere is perfectly round, like a ball. It has no flat faces, edges, or corners. Think of a soccer ball or a marble.

Cylinder: A cylinder has two circular faces and a curved surface. Think of a can of beans or a toilet roll.

Cone: A cone has one circular face and a curved surface that comes to a point. Think of an ice cream cone or a party hat.

Pyramid: A pyramid has a base that is a polygon (like a square or a triangle) and triangular faces that meet at a point. Think of the pyramids in Egypt (though we don’t have those in SA, you might have seen them in books). Properties of Shapes and Objects Understanding the properties of shapes helps us tell them apart.

Sides: The straight lines that make up a 2D shape.

Corners/Vertices: The points where the sides of a 2D shape meet.

Faces: The flat surfaces of a 3D object.

Edges: The lines where the faces of a 3D object meet.

Vertices: The points where the edges of a 3D object meet.

Curved Surface: A surface that is not flat.

Worked example

Question: How many sides and corners does a hexagon have?

Answer: A hexagon has 6 sides and 6 corners.

Question: What shape is a soccer ball? Does it have any flat surfaces?

Answer: A soccer ball is a sphere. It does not have any flat surfaces. It only has a curved surface.

Question: What 3D object looks like a box?

Answer: A rectangular prism (or cuboid) looks like a box. A cube also looks like a box, but all its sides are the same length.

Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question: Draw an oval. Can you find something in the classroom that has an oval shape?

Solution: The student draws an oval. (Teacher checks drawing).

Example of an oval shaped object: A rugby ball.

Commentary: This question allows students to visualise and relate the shape to real-world objects.

Question: What is the name of a 3D object that has 6 square faces? Can you name something in the classroom that is this shape?

Solution: The 3D object is a cube. A dice (if available) is a cube.

Commentary: This helps reinforce the link between the name of the shape and its properties.

Question: Sarah is building a tower using building blocks. She uses a block that has 6 rectangular faces. What shape is that block?

Solution: The block is a rectangular prism.

Commentary: This involves a scenario, relating the shape to a building activity.

Question: Name the 2D shape that has 8 sides and 8 corners.

Solution: An octagon.

Commentary: Straightforward recall of a definition.

Question: What 3D object has one circular face and a curved surface that ends in a point? Give an example.

Solution: It is a cone. An ice-cream cone is an example.

Commentary: Combines the shape name and property identification, with a common item.

Independent Practice (Questions Only)

Draw a pentagon.

How many faces does a cube have? How many edges? How many vertices?

What shape is a tin of Milo?

What is the difference between a square and a cube?

John says he saw a shape with 7 sides. Is this one of the shapes we learned about today? If not, what is it called?

Find 3 objects in your house that are shaped like a sphere, a cylinder, and a rectangular prism.

If you cut a slice of watermelon, what 2D shape does the slice most closely resemble?

Imagine you are building a house out of Lego bricks. What 3D shapes would you use the most? Why?

What shape does a R5 coin resemble?

If you were to build a pyramid, what 2D shapes would you need to use?