Unit 5-Build a Block, Build a Wall

This geometry unit focuses on three-dimensional shapes. In this unit, students look for and identify three-dimensional shapes in the real-world as they go on Shape Hunts in school and at home. They create, identify, describe, compare, represent, and build with 3-D shapes. They also explore the relationship between 2-D and 3-D shapes as they match the faces of Geoblocks—a set of related three-dimensional wooden blocks— to corresponding 2-D shapes.

Math Words and Ideas

1- Types of 3-D Shapes 6- Describing Cones

2- What is 2-D and 3-D Shapes 7- Attributes of 3-D Shapes

3- Where Is It? 8- Matching Geoblock Faces

4- Describing Cubes 9 - Build a Block

5- Describing Cylinders 10- Describing Triangular Prisms

NON-Investigations Games

Students will be working toward these goals:

Related Activities to Try at Home

3-D Shape Hunt Shapes are everywhere. Talk with your child about the shapes you see every day. Together, you can look at everything from the shapes of buildings in your neighborhood, to the shapes of boxes and cans in the supermarket. Sometimes you can include descriptions of shapes in what you say. For example, “Look at that part of the building that is shaped like a cylinder.” At other times, you can ask your child to look for specific shapes: “See how many things you can find that are shaped like a cube while we walk down the street.”

Drawing Shapes While it is difficult to draw 3-D shapes, some students enjoy the challenge. Talk together about ways to draw a shape so that it “looks 3-D” and practice.

Making Shapes Making shapes is a great way to learn about them. At home, your child might use clay, building blocks, drinking straws and clay, or other types of construction toys or materials to make different shapes. Ask your child, “Can you make a cube? How many faces (sides) does it have?” “Can you make a shape that looks like this shoebox?” Or, you can make different shapes and ask your child to describe and copy them.

Math and Literature

Hoban, Tana. Cubes, Cones, Cylinders and Spheres.
Murphy, Stuart J. Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes.
Nagel, Karen. Shapes that Roll. Onyefulu, Ifeoma.
A Triangle for Adaora: An African Book of Shapes.
Thong, Rosanne. Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes.