3-D Objects

Strand: Shape and Space (3-D Objects and 2-D Shapes)
Outcomes: 6, 7

Step 5: Follow-up on Assessment

Guiding Questions

What conclusions can be made from assessment information?
How effective have instructional approaches been?
What are the next steps in instruction?

A. Addressing Gaps in Learning

Students who have specific gaps in learning should have these addressed with activities that provide ways to master the missing concept, knowledge or skill. An assessment indicator of the level of maturity in geometric learning is whether or not the student applies the language or knowledge to only the specific objects at hand. This is a beginning level. When the student begins to speak about the attributes as being characteristics for the complete class of 3-D objects, then the student has moved to a higher level. For a more complete analysis of the Van Hiele Theory of Geometric Thought, see pages 188–193 of Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics: Grades K–3 (2006) by John A. Van de Walle and LouAnn H. Lovin.

One of the difficulties in teaching geometry at primary grades is a need for good resources for definitions. The Van de Walle and Lovin text referred to above has a good description of 3-D objects on page 205 and a good set of 3-D pictures on page 206, including some non-examples, which are seldom provided. A good glossary and a set of nets are provided on pages 181–207 of Diagnostic Mathematics Program, Division I, Geometry (1990) by Alberta Education.

B. Reinforcing and Extending Learning

Students who have achieved or exceeded the outcomes will benefit from ongoing opportunities to apply and extend their learning. These activities should support students in developing a deeper understanding of the concept and should not progress to the outcomes in subsequent grades.

Consider strategies, such as the following.

Provide information to parents about the specific outcomes expected of Grade 2 students so that parents can reinforce student learning by pointing out 3-D objects at home and in the community.
Provide opportunities for students to play with 3-D shapes in learning centres in their free time. Activities that students might enjoy could include building a skeleton for one of the objects or finding the object that matches a card with its various faces on it. Students could also match pictures of items from the environment with the 3-D shapes to which they correspond. Students could do sorts for other students to guess their sorting rule. Matching riddle cards to the correct shape (Alberta Education, 1990, pp. 78–79). For example, a card could state: "I have one point/vertex. I can roll. I have one face that is circular. What am I?"