Play Mystery Sort. Display a two-column table. Label one column “Yes” and the other “No.” Using the display set of the Faces of 3-D Shapes Cards Masters you prepared, demonstrate how to play Mystery Sort.
- Watch carefully as I sort some of the shapes into two groups, one shape at a time. If a shape has the mystery property, I will put it in the “Yes” column. If a shape does not have the property, I will put it in the “No” column.
- Do not guess out loud. Sometimes I will use all the possible shapes that belong together in the “Yes” column, sometimes I will not. When you think you know the property, raise your hand and I will call on someone to place a remaining shape in the correct column. If you think a shape has been incorrectly placed in a column you may move it. When all shapes have been placed in one of the columns, we will name the property.
After each sort, ask students to match the solid from the classroom set to the faces in the “Yes” column and verify the name of the three-dimensional shape. See Figure 4 for a list of shape properties and some sample shapes that have that property.
Another way to approach this sorting activity is to tell the property by which you want to sort the shapes and ask students to name the shapes that belong in the group. Ask students to play this game with a partner or a small group. Directions are on the Mystery Sort: Faces page in the Student Activity Book.
Observe students as they play Mystery Sort from the Student Activity Book to assess students' abilities to describe and analyze three-dimensional shapes using their properties [E2]; classify three-dimensional shapes using their properties [E4]; and justify conclusions using geometric properties [E7].
The games Mystery Sort and Guess My Shape can be used to provide targeted practice with these expectations. See Materials Preparation.
Assign the Analyze Faces of 3-D Shapes pages in the Student Activity Book. These pages can also be assigned for homework.
Use Check-In: Questions 3–4 on the Analyze Faces of 3-D Shapes pages in the Student Activity Book and the Feedback Box to assess students' abilities to analyze and classify threedimensional shapes using their properties [E2, E3]; identify congruent faces [E5]; justify their conclusions using geometric properties [E7]; and show their thinking [MPE5].
Place prepared copies of the Mystery Sort: Faces Master in a center to use as targeted practice with analyzing and describing 3-D shapes. See Materials Preparation.
