Fun 3d Shape Activites

[Guest]

PGCE early years student begging for help.

 

I am on my second teaching practice and have a year one placement. all of my previouse experience is in foundation stage and im struggling for suitable ideas for FUN activities for 3d shapes that will engage the children.

 

need two more activites for two more numeracy hours.

 

where have all of these work sheets come from? i really want some practical ideas, i already have planned, symetrical buterfly painting using shape stampers and 3d construction fro,m photos, but have to fit in stack, slide and roll which i will do practically with the dreaded work sheet to record results,

 

in reception would have shapes in water, sand, role play, etc but dont have any of these items and feel out of place now im in ks1. desperate and looking forward to any suggestions

 

julie

[apple]

What about makin 3D shapes with plastecine?

Try testing the shapes to see if they stack/roll/slide then sort into sets and record findings

3D shape bingo

Feely bag where they describe shape without saying name

Build mosques/synogogues from photos (great images on google images to download and print)

If I think of anymore I post

[Susan]

hi Julie

Have you looked at Hamiltontrust.org.uk

You might find some usable activities within the maths plans there.

[Guest]

an extension of liza's activity with the playdough would be to use dough and straws. Some children are able to create cubes. They could also cut up the straws to make cuboids

[Guest]

How about investigating packaging and their 3D shape properties, if you don't have any 3D shapes - although I'd think in a KS1 class you really ought to have access to some, even if there aren't any in the classroom itself - maybe look in to this?

 

In the event that you do find some 3d shapes, you could do a feely bag with shapes in: children describe what they feel and have to guess the shape, or voice what they are feeling for others to guess.

In Y2 we used to have a 'shape shop': get 2 telephones & situate one of them with all the shapes - children have to 'phone' shape shop and ask whether they have a shape in stock - but they can't remember what it's called & have to gradually give descriptive info.

As whole class, or if you have enough shapes in groups, 1 person to gradually reveal a shape from behind a board or curtain. Children to guess what the shape is on what they can see at any given time.

Using multilinks or similar, challenge children to create a 'something', which will have used 3d shapes and which will produce a 3d shape. They can then say how many cubes they needed. Or ask children to make something with a given number of cubes: "what can you make using 10 cubes?" etc.

Shape sorting - sort shapes by those with a round face, those which slide/roll, etc.

Using 3d construction (e.g. wooden blocks of various shapes) - children simply to play with and verbalise what they are doing & which shapes they are using to a friend or group.

 

I'm afraid most of these ideas do require you to have access to some 3d shapes though, or at least make some of your own, if you have time.

 

Good luck!

[Guest]

What excellent ideas from everyone. The only extra things I can think of is going on a 3D shape hunt around the classroom/school - can you find something that is a cube/cylinder/cuboid shape? You/they could record things that they find using a digital camera which would provide 'proof' of learning and prevent the dreaded worksheets! Something that I've also done before is printing with 3D shapes. The children have to use all of the faces and print along a long, narrow strip of paper. Some of them are surprised that a cylinder can produce a rectangle print! You could also do a sorting activity with everyday objects - put all the cylinders in this hoop, cubes here etc. you can get in lots of mathematical language here - why have you put the can of beans in with the cylinders? Oh yes, it's got two faces that are circles hasn't it?! This is good for getting children to see that everyday objects are 3D and that shapes aren't just confined to coloured lumps of plastic from a numeracy catalogue!

 

Good luck - you'll be fab!

Edited February 4, 2006 by Guest

[Guest]

thanks for these fab replies. its great to have such a bank of knowledge to call upon, looking forward to the day when i can offer such a wealth of ideas.

i will certainly be trying some of these activities out this week thanks to all of you for your support its really appreciated

 

julie