Hi friend! I don’t know about you, but I love teaching 2D and 3D shapes in 1st grade! Teaching first grade geometry has so many opportunities for hands-on exploration and play! We spend time identifying, sorting, building, and discovering 2D and 3D shapes and all of their attributes!
This blog post is part 1 of a 2-part series, where we’ll focus on teaching 2D shapes in 1st grade. From identifying and sorting shapes to exploring defining attributes, this post is packed with ideas to help your students develop a deep understanding of 2D shapes. In part 2, we’ll explore all things 3D shapes, so stay tuned!
If you want to find any of these 2d and 3d shape activities you can find them inside my Geometry and Fractions 1st Grade Guided Math Unit! It includes 3 weeks of geometry and fractions lesson plans, worksheets, geometry activities for small groups and centers, assessment and more!
Want to learn more about our guided math schedule in 1st grade? Read more here!
Why teach Geometry in first grade?
Teaching geometry in 1st grade is about so much more than just learning shapes—it’s about building critical thinking and problem-solving skills that students will carry with them throughout their lives. Geometry helps young learners develop spatial reasoning, which is essential for understanding how objects relate to each other in space.
Our goal isn’t for our 1st graders to just memorize the names and attributes of 2d and 3d shapes but rather to develop a deeper understanding of how shapes work, how they relate to one another, and how they appear in the world around them.
Introducing 2D Shapes in First Grade
Our first week of our first grade geometry 2d and 3d shapes unit is spent exploring 2D Shapes! I always begin with connecting shapes to the real world. We want students to realize that we see shapes all around us!
I show students this slide and ask them to look for shapes within the pictures that they know! We turn and talk with our math partner and discuss as a class. Sometimes I also have students walk around the room looking for shapes they know. It’s the perfect way to kick off our unit!
During our 2D Shapes week, we focus on:
- Identifying and Sorting 2D Shapes
- Learning about defining vs. non-defining attributes of 2D Shapes including sides, vertices, and angles
- Using 2D Shapes to compose new shapes
Geometry Mini Lesson Slides to teach 2D and 3D Shapes
During our whole group time in our guided math block, we have daily 2d and 3d shapes mini lessons where concepts and skills are introduced. I love using interactive slides to teach my mini lessons! Students gather on the rug sitting next to a math partner for turn and talks. It’s perfect for keeping everyone engaged!
These slides make it easy to prep lessons that are engaging for all students! Each lesson has:
- Our daily learning objective
- 2D and 3D Shapes Math Vocabulary
- Direct Instruction and Modeling
- A quick practice activity
- Critical Thinking/ Discussion
To dive deeper into each 2D shape, I use slides to introduce each one and discuss its attributes. We focus on important characteristics such as the number of sides, vertices, and any other unique traits each shape has. These visual slides keep students engaged and provide a clear reference. Afterward, we complete a 2D shape attribute table as a class, where we fill out key information about each shape we’ve learned. This activity reinforces the vocabulary and helps students recall the shapes and their features.
2D and 3D Shapes Anchor Charts for first grade
Throughout our unit, I add these 2D and 3D Shape posters to our math wall. They provide a reference for students to recall the attributes of each shape and reinforce learning.
I also have 2d and 3d shapes mini anchor charts at my small group table, so students can access them during hands-on activities. With these charts always in view, students are able to confidently engage with shapes and refer back to important information whenever needed!
Exploring 2D Shapes in Small Groups with Math Mats
My favorite part of our day in first grade is Math Small Groups! Each day during our guided math rotations, students visit my small group table and we explore 2D and 3D shapes in a hands-on way! I love using math mats to explore shapes! To use, just slide them into dry erase pouches and add manipulatives like tangrams, pattern blocks, or shape cards!
Sorting 2D Shapes
After introducing 2D shapes and their attributes, I love diving into sorting activities to help students develop a deeper understanding of how shapes are alike and different. Sorting 2D shapes is such an engaging way to get students thinking critically and applying what they’ve learned.
We start by discussing all the different ways we can sort shapes. Some of the categories we might use include:
- Number of Sides
- Number of Angles
- Curved or Straight Sides
- With my higher groups I might use more complex rules like: shapes with equal sides vs. unequal sides
During small groups, I give students a variety of shape cutouts or cards and challenge them to sort them into groups based on a specific rule. At first, I guide them with prompts like, “Can you sort these by the number of sides?”
You can also have students make their own sorting rule. Have them sort their shapes, then play Guess My Rule. The other students in the group can figure out how the shapes are sorted.
2D Shape Matching Cards
Use these matching cards to review shapes, shape names, shape attributes, and real life examples!
A few ways to use the cards:
- Place each shape name card in a row on the table. Shuffle the rest of the cards and give to students Students can work together to sort all of the cards.
- Use two types of cards (for example shape picture and shape attributes) Play Memory with the cards. Place the cards face down and students will take turns turning over two cards looking for matches.
- Use the cards whole group and play Find my Match! Give each student a card and students will walk around the classroom looking for the friend that has a matching card.
Defining and Non-Defining Attributes of 2D Shapes
Understanding the difference between defining and non-defining attributes is an essential part of teaching 2D shapes in first grade. Defining attributes are the characteristics that make a shape what it is, such as the number of sides and vertices. Non-defining attributes, on the other hand, are details like color, size, or orientation—they don’t change what the shape is.
To help students master this concept, I like to use hands-on activities like a Defining and Non-Defining Attribute Sort. We sort the shape cards together during small group and later it becomes a math center!
My Mystery Shape
Review defining and non-defining attributes with this mystery shape activity! Students will choose a secret shape and draw it in the box.
They will then come up with clues for their shape and write them in the boxes. Have students read their clues and let other students guess what their mystery shape is! These are also fun to hang up in the hallway so that people passing by can try to guess the mystery shapes!
Composing 2D Shapes
Composing with 2D shapes is one of the most exciting parts of teaching geometry in first grade! This skill encourages creativity, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of how shapes work together.
We start by introducing the skill during our whole group mini lesson with our Composing Shapes slides!
In small groups we practice composing with 2D Shapes and making composite shapes with these Composing Cards. Before starting the cards, I like to introduce each pattern block. We explore different ways to make each block. I ask, how can we use other blocks to make a trapezoid? Students fit different blocks on top of the trapezoid to make the shape in a new way.
Model using cards by finding the needed pattern blocks and putting them together in different ways to make new shapes. Students can then work on the cards independently.
Next, students get to play Fill the Hexagons! This is always a favorite game for students! Have them work with a partner. They will take turns spinning the spinner and add the pattern block they land on to one of their Hexagons. If the block doesn’t fit, they lose their turn. Continue until a player gets all of their hexagons filled!
Finally, students can get creative and have fun composing with 2D Shapes with these math mats and pattern blocks!
Using Magna-tiles to Compose 2D and 3D Shapes
Magna-Tiles are a classroom favorite when it comes to teaching geometry! These versatile magnetic tiles offer endless opportunities for hands-on exploration and are perfect for helping students compose both 2D and 3D shapes.
To start, I use Magna-Tiles to demonstrate how we can create 2D shapes by combining smaller pieces. For example, we’ll take two triangles and arrange them to form a square or a rectangle. This is a fantastic way to help students visualize how smaller shapes can combine to create larger ones.
2D Shape Review Math Centers
I love incorporating Geometry activities into our weekly math centers for extra practice. Many of the activities we do together at teacher table later become math centers. One of our favorite math centers is Snow Cone Shape Search! I hang the cards around the room and students walk around and write the names of the 2D shapes on their recording sheet!
2D Shape Bingo
I love to review with a fun game at the end of the week and 2D Shape Bingo is perfect! We play as a whole class during our mini lesson and again during small groups!
2D and 3D Shapes Worksheets for Grade 1
Worksheets are a valuable part of our geometry unit because they give students the chance to independently practice the skills we’ve been working on in class. In my 2D and 3D Shapes Unit for Grade 1, I’ve included a variety of worksheets that align with each lesson. These activities are designed to reinforce key concepts like identifying shapes, sorting by attributes, and composing new shapes.
How do I assess when teaching 2d and 3d shapes to first graders?
Assessment is an important part of guided math! It not only tells us if students have mastered concepts at the end of a unit, but it also helps inform teaching decisions during a unit. There are 3 main ways that I assess during our 2d and 3d shapes unit in my guided math block.
- 2D and 3D Shapes Exit Slips: Giving quick exit slips at the end of a small group session is perfect for checking students understanding during a math unit.
- Observation: Along with exit slips, I use a lot of observation as a formative assessment. I keep anecdotal notes throughout our 2D and 3D Shapes unit in my guided math planning binder! You can grab it for free here!
- 2D and 3D Shapes Brain Check: At the end of a unit, I give a summative assessment over the standards we covered! In the unit, I included two versions of the brain check so that one could be given as a pre-test and one as a post-test.
What’s Next? Teaching 3D Shapes in 1st Grade
I hope these activities inspire you to make 2D shapes a fun and engaging part of your 1st-grade math block! From introducing shapes with real-world connections to composing and exploring their attributes, there’s so much hands-on learning to enjoy.
Be sure to check back soon for part 2 of this series, where I’ll share my favorite tips and activities for teaching 3D shapes in 1st grade. We’ll talk about identifying and sorting 3D shapes, exploring their attributes, and comparing them to 2D shapes.
If you want to have your entire 2D and 3D Shapes Unit planned for you, don’t forget to grab my Geometry and Fractions Unit for 1st Grade!
Until then, happy teaching—and happy 2D and 3D shapes exploring! 😊
