Mathematics · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Describing Properties of 3D Solids (Faces, Edges, Vertices)

Active learning works well for this topic because young children learn best by touching, moving, and comparing real objects. Handling 3D solids helps students connect abstract terms like ‘edge’ and ‘vertex’ to the shapes they can see and feel.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Mathematics - Geometry: Properties of Shapes

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 35 min · Small Groups

Exploration Stations: Shape Properties

Prepare stations with 3D solids: one for rolling or stacking tests, one for counting faces and edges, one for vertex hunts. Small groups rotate every 7 minutes, sketch findings, and share one description per shape. Conclude with whole-class show-and-tell.

Differentiate between a face, an edge, and a vertex on a 3D shape.

Facilitation Tip

During Exploration Stations, place one basket per solid type so students can focus on one shape at a time before moving on.

What to look for

Give each student a small 3D solid (e.g., a cube, a cylinder, a cone). Ask them to draw the shape and label one face, one edge, and one vertex. If the shape does not have all three, they should write 'none'.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 25 min · Pairs

Shape Hunt: Real-World Solids

Give pairs checklists of properties like 'rolls easily' or 'has 6 faces.' Students hunt classroom objects, describe matches, and vote on best examples. Display photos with labels for review.

Explain how a cube is different from a cylinder in how it moves.

Facilitation Tip

In the Shape Hunt, give each pair a small whiteboard to record what they find and sketch the objects they locate.

What to look for

Present students with two different 3D solids, like a sphere and a cube. Ask: 'How are these shapes different when you try to move them? Which one can you stack easily, and why?' Listen for their use of terms like 'rolls' or 'stacks' and their reasoning about flat sides.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 40 min · Small Groups

Build and Describe: Multi-Link Solids

In small groups, provide linking cubes for building cubes, pyramids, and cuboids. Count and label faces, edges, vertices on group posters. Pairs then compare builds and explain differences.

Construct a description of a pyramid using its properties.

Facilitation Tip

When building with Multi-Link cubes, ask students to count faces, edges, and vertices aloud before adding new blocks.

What to look for

Hold up a 3D shape and ask students to point to its faces, edges, and vertices. Use a variety of shapes and ask targeted questions like, 'Show me a flat part,' or 'Show me a corner where lines meet.'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Stations Rotation
• 30 min · Whole Class

Movement Mat: Test and Sort

Lay out mats for whole class to test rolls, slides, stacks with mixed solids. Sort into property groups, discuss why, and record with drawings. Extend by predicting movements.

Differentiate between a face, an edge, and a vertex on a 3D shape.

Facilitation Tip

Use the Movement Mat to model how to test each shape’s motion, then invite students to demonstrate to the group.

What to look for

Give each student a small 3D solid (e.g., a cube, a cylinder, a cone). Ask them to draw the shape and label one face, one edge, and one vertex. If the shape does not have all three, they should write 'none'.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by letting students handle real objects first, then naming the parts together. Avoid overwhelming them with too many new words at once. Use consistent language like ‘flat side,’ ‘line,’ and ‘corner’ before introducing ‘face,’ ‘edge,’ and ‘vertex.’ Research shows that pairing movement with vocabulary helps memory, so always connect the rolling or stacking action to the shape’s properties.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently use terms like ‘face,’ ‘edge,’ and ‘vertex’ to describe how different 3D solids move and stack. They will compare curved and flat surfaces and explain why some shapes roll while others stack.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Exploration Stations, watch for students who say all 3D shapes roll the same way.

  Bring out cubes and cylinders, and ask students to try rolling each. Have them feel the flat sides of the cube and observe how the cylinder rolls smoothly. Then, sort the shapes on the Movement Mat into ‘stacks well’ and ‘rolls well’ groups to clarify differences.

• During Shape Hunt, watch for students who think cylinders have no faces or edges.

  Have students trace the curved surface and the two flat circular faces of a cylinder they found. Ask them to run a finger along the circular edge where the faces meet. Pair students to share their findings and correct each other’s counts.

• During Build and Describe, watch for students who point to any point on a shape and call it a vertex.

  Ask students to build a cube with Multi-Link cubes and count the corners where three edges meet. Point to a single cube’s corner and ask, ‘Is this a vertex? Why or why not?’ Use their blocks to demonstrate that vertices only form where edges join.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation