Topic 6 Analyzing Shapes - Union Free School District of the ...

Grade 3
Topic 6
Analyzing Shapes
In this topic students will:
• Study shapes and the basic properties of shapes.
• Make observations about similarities and differences between
two shapes.
• Discover relationships between shapes.
• Develop visual thinking and spatial reasoning.
• Estimate the measure of an angle by comparing it to a right
angle or “square corner”.
• A benchmark for measuring angles is identifying square corners
(right angle). A right angle measures 90 degrees.
• An angle that is smaller than the square corner is less than 90
degrees (acute angle) and an angle that is larger than a square
corner is greater than 90 degrees (obtuse angle).
Polygon: All closed shapes with straight sides. The prefix poly
means many and the root gon means angle.
Names of Basic Pattern Blocks

Transformation:
• Slide
• Flip
• Turn
How does the shape change its appearance when it slides? Does it?
How does the shape change its appearance when it flips?
What if a shape was turned (like a steering-wheel), would its
appearance change?
How you can help at home:
• Find examples of 2-dimensional shapes in the structure of a
house. These are shapes that are flat and have only 2
dimensions (a length and a width.)
• Investigate 3-dimensional shapes around your house. These
shapes are 3 dimensional because they have 3 dimensions
(length, width, height.)
• Discuss with your child why 2- dimensional shapes are different
from 3-dimensional shapes. Also, ask your child how they are
similar.
Content: Geometry
Vocabulary:
line of symmetry, polygon, angle, right angle, square corner, face,
mirror image, parallel lines, pentagon, congruent, similar, sides, threedimensional
(3-D), two-dimensional (2-D)
Web Resources
2-D shape Match
Match the picture with the name of the shape.
Polygon Sort, 3-D Shape Match, Symmetry Sort
Three great activities can be found by clicking the link below.
FIND THE 2-D Shapes
Quadrilateral Quest
Do you know their properties?
Congruent, Similar or Neither

SHAPES IN SPACE
There are 4 levels of increasing difficulty in this game. Students
identify 2D and 3D shapes, discriminate polygons from non-polygons,
and attributes such as edges, sides, faces, and vertices. Very colorful
with lots of sound effects, and even an arcade game-like bonus round.
REVIEW AND PRACTICE (1)
REVIEW AND PRACTICE (2)
REVIEW AND PRACTICE (3)
REVIEW AND PRACTICE (4)
Sample Tasks:
1. Draw a 4 sided shape on the grid below.
What is the name of the shape you made?
Write 2 facts about the shape you drew. Use words from our math
vocabulary to help you.

2. Which is not a clue that matches the shape below?
A. It is a pentagon.
B. All of the sides are the same length.
C. It has 5 sides.
3. Draw a shape that has only one line of symmetry.
New York State Questions:

Public Schools of the Tarrytowns- December 2010
Byram Hills Central School District - January 2008
Some material adapted from Growing with Math, pub. Write Group / McGraw-Hill