Identify and Draw 2D Shapes
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What you will learn
- 1Name each 2D shape by counting its sides and corners
- 2Match shape pictures and descriptions to the correct shape names
- 3Identify real-life examples of circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, and hexagons
Mini Lesson
Welcome to Planet D — Shapes, Time, and Measurement! A 2D shape is a flat shape with length and width but no depth. We identify 2D shapes by counting their sides (straight edges) and corners (where two sides meet).
The six shapes to know
- Circle — 0 sides, 0 corners. Perfectly round. A wheel, a coin, the sun.
- Triangle — 3 sides, 3 corners. A yield sign, a slice of pizza.
- Square — 4 sides of equal length, 4 corners. All 4 corners are square corners, like the corner of a page. A tile, a checkerboard square.
- Rectangle — 4 sides, 4 corners. Opposite sides are equal. A door, a book cover. (A square is a special rectangle.)
- Pentagon — 5 sides, 5 corners. A home plate in baseball.
- Hexagon — 6 sides, 6 corners. A honeycomb cell, a hex bolt.
Key rule
- A shape's name does not change when you rotate or resize it — a tilted square is still a square. Count the sides to confirm.
Words to know
2D shape
A flat shape with length and width but no depth
e.g. A square is a 2D shape.
Side
A straight edge on a shape
e.g. A triangle has 3 sides.
Corner
The point where two sides of a shape meet
e.g. A square has 4 corners.
Triangle
A 2D shape with 3 sides and 3 corners
e.g. A pizza slice can look like a triangle.
Rectangle
A 2D shape with 4 sides where opposite sides are equal
e.g. A door is shaped like a rectangle.
Hexagon
A 2D shape with 6 sides and 6 corners
e.g. A honeycomb cell is a hexagon.
Ask yourself: "How many sides does this shape have? That tells me its name!"
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