SOLIDS - STRAND: GEOMETRY - Lesson 1

FOCUS QUESTION

What are the properties of solid figures?

SPECIFIC OBJS.

1. Recognize faces, edges, vertices of solid and classify solids according to the number and shape of their faces

2. Describe the physical world in terms of geometric concepts and talk about mathematical findings.

CONTENT SUMMARY

Solids have faces, edges and vertices.  The faces are the flat surfaces of solids. The edges are the places where two faces meet. The vertices are the corners. Singular vertex, plural vertices.

Solids are three-dimensional shapes.   A prism is a solid, with two parallel faces called bases. The other faces are always parallelograms. The prism is named by the shape of its base.  A solid is a pyramid if it has 3 or more triangular faces sharing a common vertex. The base of a pyramid may be any polygon.   An edge is formed where two faces meet.   A vertex is the point where three or more faces meet. 

ENGAGE

Students, I want you to tell me what you understand by plane shapes and solid shapes. Try to formulate working definitions for same. 

EXPLORE

Let's watch  this video clip  to learn more about plane shapes and solid shapes.

If we look at the chart below, we can find the names of additional solid shapes.

Let's examine some of these solids. I want you to rub your fingers on the faces, along the edges and the vertices.

EXPLAIN

What are solid shapes and name the characteristics of solid shapes? Name the ones below and quickly name the number of faces, edges, vertices.

EXTEND/ELABORATE

Think of objects in your environment that have the shape of solids. Choose a partner and complete the table below.

Eg.

SOLIDS	EXAMPLES IN ENVIRONMENT
Cylinder	Tissue roll
Cuboid	Chalk box

EVALUATE

1. Manipulate the solids given then complete the table below. Eg.

Follow up Practice Exercises

Activity 1

Activity 2

Activity 3

Activity 4

Activity 5

Activity 6

Activity 7

Activity 8

Activity 9 

5E Mathematics Lesson Plan (Grade 6)

Topic: Solids
Duration: 1 hour
Focus Question: What are the properties of solid figures?
Objectives:

1. Recognize faces, edges, vertices of solids and classify solids according to the number and shape of their faces.

2. Describe the physical world in terms of geometric concepts and talk about mathematical findings.

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Materials:

Chromebooks

Projectors

3-D solids

ENGAGE (10 minutes)

Activity: Mystery Bag STEM Hook

• The teacher presents a "Mystery Geometry Bag" with 3D objects inside (cube, pyramid, sphere, cylinder, cone, rectangular prism).

• Without showing the items, students are given a few descriptive clues and must predict the shape.

• Teacher asks:

  • “How do you think this object feels?”

  • “How many flat surfaces (faces) might it have?”

  • “Can it roll or slide?”

Purpose: Activates prior knowledge and sparks curiosity.

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EXPLORE (15 minutes)

Activity: Hands-On 3D Shape Investigation (STEM Integration)

• Students are given physical 3D shapes in groups

• In pairs or small groups, they count and record the number of:

  • Faces (flat surfaces)

  • Edges (line segments)

  • Vertices (corners/points)

• They classify solids by common properties (e.g., prisms vs. pyramids).

STEM Link:

• Engineering: Discuss how engineers use solid shapes to design buildings, bridges, and packaging.

• Students observe examples of real-world 3D shapes (soup can, dice, cone cup, etc.).

Differentiation:

• Provide labeled diagrams for struggling learners.

• Challenge high-achievers with less common solids like triangular prism or hexagonal prism.

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EXPLAIN (10 minutes)

Activity: Concept Clarification with Chart

• Teacher guides whole-class discussion using an anchor chart:

  • Definitions of face, edge, and vertex

  • Comparison chart of properties of solids

• Students help complete a "Properties of Solids" table together.

Visual Aid:

Solid	Faces	Edges	Vertices	Example
Cube	6	12	8	Die
Sphere	0	0	0	Ball

Vocabulary: face, edge, vertex, prism, pyramid, sphere, cone, cylinder

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ELABORATE (15 minutes)

Activity: 3D Shape STEM Challenge – "Design a Toy Package!"

• In pairs, students choose a 3D shape to design a package for a toy (e.g., a cube for a puzzle game).

• They justify their choice based on properties (e.g., “I used a rectangular prism because it stacks well on a shelf”).

Extension (for high-performing students):

• Draw a net of the chosen solid figure.

• Calculate surface area using formulas (if previously taught).

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters: “I chose this shape because…”

• Give struggling students cut-out templates of 3D nets.

• Complete activities from teacher's blogsite

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EVALUATE (10 minutes)

Three-Tier Evaluation Task

Objective: Assess ability to recognize, describe, and apply understanding of solid properties.

Tier	Task	Level
Tier 1	Match each solid figure to its correct number of faces, edges, and vertices (use a worksheet with visual aids).	Support
Tier 2	Complete a table classifying solids and describe their real-world use (e.g., “A cone is used in ice cream packaging”).	On-level
Tier 3	Write a short explanation: “Why might an engineer choose a cylinder shape for a tunnel?”	Enrichment

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Closure (5 minutes)

• Revisit the Focus Question: “What are the properties of solid figures?”

• Use a “Turn and Talk”:

  • “Tell your partner one shape and describe its faces, edges, and vertices.”

• End with a quick Kahoot quiz or exit ticket with 3 questions:

  1. What is a vertex?

  2. Name a shape with no edges.

  3. Which solid shape has 6 faces and 8 vertices?