Standard 1: Identify, compare and compose two- and three-dimensional figures.

General Information
Number: MA.K.GR.1
Title: Identify, compare and compose two- and three-dimensional figures.
Type: Standard
Subject: Mathematics (B.E.S.T.)
Grade: K
Strand: Geometric Reasoning

Related Benchmarks

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Related Access Points

This cluster includes the following access points.

Access Points

MA.K.GR.1.AP.1
Identify two- and three-dimensional figures regardless of their size. Figures are limited to circles, triangles, rectangles, squares, spheres, cubes, cones and cylinders.
MA.K.GR.1.AP.2a
Sort two-dimensional figures based on their similarities. Figures are limited to circles, triangles, rectangles and squares.
MA.K.GR.1.AP.2b
Use informal spatial language to describe the relative positions of two-dimensional figures (e.g., above, below, beside, next to, under).
MA.K.GR.1.AP.3a
Sort three-dimensional figures based on their similarities. Figures are limited to spheres, cubes, cones and cylinders.
MA.K.GR.1.AP.3b
Use informal spatial language to describe the relative positions of three-dimensional figures (e.g., above, below, beside, next to, under).
MA.K.GR.1.AP.4
Explore real-world objects that can be modeled by a given two- or three-dimensional figure. Figures are limited to circles, triangles, rectangles, squares, spheres, cubes, cones and cylinders.
MA.K.GR.1.AP.5
Recognize that a different figure can be formed by combining two smaller two-dimensional figures. Figures used to form a composite shape are limited to triangles, rectangles and squares.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Formative Assessments

Is it Still a Triangle?:

Students are asked to identify a triangle shown in two different orientations.

Type: Formative Assessment

What Shape?:

Students name two-dimensional shapes given pictures on a worksheet.

Type: Formative Assessment

Find That Shape:

Students are given a variety of shapes and asked to find specific ones.

Type: Formative Assessment

Where is the Sphere?:

Students describe the position of a sphere in relationship to other objects.

Type: Formative Assessment

Squares and Cubes:

Students compare a cube to a square face of the cube.

Type: Formative Assessment

Small and Large Spheres:

Students are asked to identify two spheres of different sizes.

Type: Formative Assessment

Shapes In A Classroom:

Students examine two photographs taken in a classroom and identify and name shapes they see.

Type: Formative Assessment

Name The Shape:

Students name two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes given manipulatives or pictures on a worksheet.

Type: Formative Assessment

Modeling the Shape of the Door:

Students draw the outline of the door.

Type: Formative Assessment

Model the Shapes:

Students look at two photographs taken at a school and choose a shape from one of the photographs to model or draw.

Type: Formative Assessment

Locations of Shapes:

Students examine two photographs taken in a classroom and identify and name shapes whose locations are described with words.

Type: Formative Assessment

Identify the Shapes:

Students determine whether a shape is a circle, triangle, rectangle or square.

Type: Formative Assessment

How Are These Shapes Alike?:

Students compare and contrast two shapes based on their attributes.

Type: Formative Assessment

Compose a Rectangle:

Students join two right triangles together to compose a rectangle.

Type: Formative Assessment

Can You Make a Rectangle?:

Students are asked to make a rectangle using only squares.

Type: Formative Assessment

Compare Rectangles and Triangles:

Students compare a triangle to a rectangle based on attributes of these figures.

Type: Formative Assessment

Compose a Square:

Students join small squares together to compose a larger square and then justify the new shape.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Find the Flag: Shape Edition:

In this integrated lesson plan, students are tasked with finding the Florida state flag by following directions from a partner who names the 2D or 3D shape it is hidden beneath. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Must or Might: Exploring Defining Attributes of 3-D Figures:

The purpose of this lesson is for students to examine defining and non-defining attributes of 3-dimensional figures. Students compare and contrast various representations of 3-dimensional figures (including real-world objects) to determine what the solid must have, compared to what it might have. This exploration is also supported by sorting 3-dimensional figures.

Type: Lesson Plan

Eating Shapes (Exploring 3D Shapes):

This lesson is an introduction to 3-dimensional shapes. The lessons uses food to help students explore the attributes of those shapes. Then, of course, the students get to eat them!

Type: Lesson Plan

Hide and Seek those Shapes:

In this lesson, students will discover the names of different two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and their attributes through activities such as playing "Hide and Seek" with shapes and playing "Hot and Cold" to find shapes in the classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shape Detective:

The students will identify and describe shapes (squares, circles, triangles, and rectangles, ) regardless of their orientations or overall size by becoming detectives and going on a "hunt" to find the given shapes.

Type: Lesson Plan

Shape the Shapes:

In this lesson, students will learn to identify, describe, and sort two-dimensional shapes (circles, triangles, rectangles, and squares) through music, movement, and hands-on exploration.

Type: Lesson Plan

ShapeBot:

In this hands-on lesson, students will be challenged to demonstrate their understanding of shapes to combine smaller two-dimensional shapes to form larger composite shapes. The lesson culminates with students using triangles, rectangles, and squares to form a "robot".

Type: Lesson Plan

Shape Up!:

In this lesson students will compare two-dimensional shapes to other two- dimensional shapes (circle, square, triangle, and rectangle) and three-dimensional shapes to other three-dimensional shapes (cone, cylinder, sphere, cube) by differentiating them according to attributes. Students describe attributes of shapes by exploring real world objects.

Type: Lesson Plan

Where's that shape? Where am I?:

The lesson focus will be a kinesthetic approach to understanding relative positions in the environment. The lesson begins with a critical input experience, as students move around their surrounding, looking for shapes around them. Basic shapes include circle, square, triangle, rectangle. Students will explore shapes in the real world setting. As the lesson progresses, students will learn to describe the position of objects in relation to their own bodies using positional language such as: left/right, in front of/behind, apart and above/below. The lesson will be followed by guided instruction portion using hands-on manipulatives to transfer learned skills. The learning sequence will conclude with an informal assessment of student understanding.

Type: Lesson Plan

Every Group Counts!:

The students will be working in whole group, small group and individually to discover measurable attributes of objects and sort the objects into categories. Students will also count and compare the number of objects in each category. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Shape Hunt:

Students will go on a shape hunt in the classroom or designated area. During the shape hunt, students will find real-world objects that can be modeled by two- and three-dimensional figures. After the shape hunt, students will use Timed-Pair-Share to explain to peers what objects they found and their relative positions.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sorting It All Out:

In this lesson, kindergarten students will learn to sort objects familiar to them by different attributes. They will justify their decisions for classification when objects have more than one similar characteristic.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sorting Recycling:

In this MEA, students will sort recycling material based on the shape, name the shapes, and decide on what recycling bin would be the best for the city to choose. Students will write and draw a picture describing which recycling bin they chose.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Sports Equipment Store:

Students will help Mr. Bob Fitness choose a piece of sports equipment for his new store. Students will work with three-dimensional shapes and determine a procedure in choosing the equipment.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Farm Baby Rescue Part 1: Up and Down Positions:

Relative positions include up and down, top and bottom, over, on, and under, and above and below. Learn different types of up and down positions to rescue eight chicks in this farm-themed, interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Circus Fun: The Search for Circles:

Learn the attributes, or characteristics, of a circle in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Search for Shapes: Recognizing Rectangles and Squares:

Identify and name rectangles and squares based on their defining attributes, even if they have different sizes or positions. Join King Geo and his scout, Quad, as they search for rectangles and squares in this interactive tutorial. 

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Search for Shapes: Tracking Triangles:

Track down triangles based on their defining attributes for King Geo in this interactive tutorial.  Learn what makes a triangle a triangle.

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Briana's Shape Playground:

Learn how to identify the similarities and differences in the number of sides of two-dimensional shapes in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Perspectives Video: Teaching Idea

Connecting Geometry to Numbers:

Unlock an effective teaching strategy for connecting geometry and numbers in order to build number sense in this Teacher Perspectives video for educators.

Type: Perspectives Video: Teaching Idea

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorials

Farm Baby Rescue Part 1: Up and Down Positions:

Relative positions include up and down, top and bottom, over, on, and under, and above and below. Learn different types of up and down positions to rescue eight chicks in this farm-themed, interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Circus Fun: The Search for Circles:

Learn the attributes, or characteristics, of a circle in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Search for Shapes: Recognizing Rectangles and Squares:

Identify and name rectangles and squares based on their defining attributes, even if they have different sizes or positions. Join King Geo and his scout, Quad, as they search for rectangles and squares in this interactive tutorial. 

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

The Search for Shapes: Tracking Triangles:

Track down triangles based on their defining attributes for King Geo in this interactive tutorial.  Learn what makes a triangle a triangle.

This is part of a series on the defining attributes of shapes. Click the links below.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Briana's Shape Playground:

Learn how to identify the similarities and differences in the number of sides of two-dimensional shapes in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.