Naming 2D Shapes
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What you will learn
- 1Name a circle, square, triangle, rectangle, pentagon, and hexagon
- 2Identify 2D shapes by their visual appearance
- 3Explain what makes a shape flat (2D)
Mini Lesson
Look around the room — shapes are everywhere! A window, a pizza slice, a coin — they are all flat shapes with special names. These flat shapes are called 2D shapes.
What does 2D mean?
- 2D stands for two-dimensional — a shape that is flat, with length and width but no depth.
- You can draw a 2D shape on paper.
- Every 2D shape has sides (straight lines) and corners (where sides meet) — except the circle.
The six shapes to know
- Circle — perfectly round, no sides, no corners. Example: a coin.
- Triangle — 3 sides, 3 corners. Example: a yield sign.
- Square — 4 equal sides, 4 corners. Example: a tile.
- Rectangle — 4 sides (opposite sides equal), 4 corners. Example: a door.
- Pentagon — 5 sides, 5 corners. Example: the home plate in baseball.
- Hexagon — 6 sides, 6 corners. Example: a honeycomb cell.
A helpful tip
- The prefix tells you the number of sides: tri- = 3, penta- = 5, hex- = 6.
- A square is a special rectangle — all four sides are the same length.
Words to know
2D shape
A flat shape that you can draw on paper
e.g. A square is a 2D shape.
Circle
A round shape with no sides and no corners
e.g. A coin is shaped like a circle.
Triangle
A shape with 3 sides and 3 corners
e.g. A yield sign is a triangle.
Rectangle
A shape with 4 sides where opposite sides are the same length
e.g. A door is a rectangle.
Pentagon
A shape with 5 sides and 5 corners
e.g. Home plate in baseball is a pentagon.
Hexagon
A shape with 6 sides and 6 corners
e.g. A honeycomb cell is a hexagon.
Ask yourself: "How many sides does this shape have? What is its name?"
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