As a teacher, one of my favorite moments in the classroom is watching students light up when they realize that what they’re learning has a place in the real world. Geometry, especially when it comes to 2D and 3D shapes, offers one of the best opportunities to make that connection clear — and exciting.
Recently, Grade I students introduced a hands-on Math activity that allowed students to dive into the world of shapes and spatial understanding. But instead of just memorizing names and properties, we took it a step further: we explored how these shapes appear all around us, in everyday objects — from the dice they roll to the cylindrical water bottles on their desks.
The goal of this activity was simple yet impactful. It helped students to identify and differentiate between 2D and 3D shapes, made them understand the unique properties of each shape (like edges, corners, and faces), and let them recognize these shapes in real-life objects they interact with daily.
By making shape learning visual, tactile, and relatable, students were not only engaged but also began to see mathematics as a living subject — not just numbers and names on paper. It sparked curiosity, encouraged observation, and led to some truly thoughtful conversations