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GM2-3: Sort objects by their spatial features, with justification.

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Elaboration on this Achievement Objective

This means students will sort objects by selecting an attribute or attributes by which to classify items and allocating the items into groups by commonality of that attribute. At Level Two students should be able to find their own system to classify items, using attributes like shape, colour, size, texture, thickness, material, purpose, etc and justify their allocation of items into categories, for example "all of these shapes have three sides". In doing so students should develop geometric language for attributes such as "side", "corner", "centre", "face", "edge", "curved", "straight", "larger", "smaller", etc.

 

Teaching resources for this Achievement Objective
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Changing Shape

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Figure It Out activities
This is a Level 2 Geometry activity from the Figure It Out Series.A PDF of the student activity is included.

construct two dimensional shapes using triangles

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Classifying two-dimensional shapes

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
The purpose of this activity is to support students classifying shapes by their properties.
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Fold and cut

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Units of Work
In this unit ākonga explore line or reflective symmetry and the names and attributes of two-dimensional mathematical shapes. They fold and cut out shapes to make shapes that have line symmetry.
  • Explain in their own language what line symmetry is.
  • Describe the process of making shapes with line symmetry.
  • Name common two-dimensional mathematical shapes.
  • Describe the differences between common two-dimensional mathematical shapes in relation to number of sides.
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Hidden Shapes

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Figure It Out activities
Activity One is a Geometry activity from the Figure It Out Series.A PDF of the student activity is included.

describe features of two dimensional shapes

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Honeycomb

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Units of Work
In this unit students sort and explore two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometric shapes, identify and describe their distinguishing features and come to appreciate the efficiency of the tessellating hexagon in meeting the needs of honeybees.
  • Identify distinguishing features of 2D (plane) shapes using the language of sides and corners.
  • Identify distinguishing features of 3D shapes using the language of faces, edges, vertex/vertices.
  • Explore hexagons, recognising that they tessellate.
  • Make hollow prism shapes and describe their features.
  • Rese300
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Identifying features

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
The purpose of this activity is to support students in identifying features of common two-dimensional shapes. There is particular focus on corners, sides, and roundness.
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In Shape to Race

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Figure It Out activities
This is a Level 2 Geometry activity from the Figure It Out Series.A PDF of the student activity is included.

identify basic attributes of two dimensional shapes.

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Mind Boggle

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Figure It Out activities
This is a Level 2 Geometry activity from the Figure It Out Series.A PDF of the student activity is included.

identify attributes of two dimensional shapes

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Naming flat shapes and identifying features

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
The purpose of this activity is to support students in naming common two-dimensional shapes using mathematical terms. Students also explore where in real-life they encounter these shapes.
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Odd Solids

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Rich learning activities
The purpose of this activity is to engage students in identifying and sorting solids by the plane shapes of their faces.
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Odd Thing Out

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Problem solving activities
This problem solving activity has a geometry focus.
  • List a number of properties that distinguish the 3-dimensional solids of the problem.
  • Devise and use Problem Solving Strategies to explore situations mathematically, in particular guess and check, draw a picture, and use equipment.
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Pattern Play

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Figure It Out activities
This is a Level 2 Geometry activity from the Figure It Out Series.A PDF of the student activity is included.

make shapes and patterns using two dimensional shapes.

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Picasso

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Units of Work
This unit uses the context of Picasso's art to explore two and three-dimensional shapes, to recognise their features, and to develop appropriate language to discuss Picasso's and their own artworks.
  • Sort geometric blocks and explain their groupings.
  • Understand and use geometric language to describe the features of two-dimensional (plane) shapes.
  • Create an artwork using plane shapes.
  • Recognise how shape is an important feature of Picasso’s artworks.
  • Understand and describe the features of a cube.
  • Cre300
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Quacky Questions

Level Two
Integrated
Figure It Out activities
These are level 2 number, algebra, and geometry problems from the Figure It Out series.A PDF of the student activity is included.

find rectangles within a shape (Problem 1)

solve problems using additive strategies (Problem 2)

continue a spatial pattern (Problem 3)

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Shaping Up (level 2)

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Figure It Out activities
This is a Level 2 Geometry activity from the Figure It Out Series.A PDF of the student activity is included.

make shapes on a geoboard.

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Sorting shapes by features and properties

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
The purpose of this activity is to support students in sorting a set of 2D shapes by the properties of the shapes.
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Sorting shapes by similarity and difference

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
The purpose of this activity is to support students using their understanding of properties to establish the differences and similarities between and among shapes. Similarity is the basis of classifying shapes by their defined properties and difference is important for recognising non-examples.
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The Greedy Triangle

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Picture book activities
This is an activity based on the picture book The Greedy Triangle.
  • Students will be able to create models of several polygons and determine whether they are regular or irregular.
  • Students will be able to use a geometric vocabulary when describing two-dimensional shapes.
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The Seven Stars of Matariki

Level Two
Geometry and Measurement
Rich learning activities
The purpose of this activity is to engage students in solving a problem involving sorting polygons by their spatial features.