Shapes & Symmetry
Discover 2D and 3D shapes, count their sides and corners, and explore lines of symmetry!
2D Shapes (Flat Shapes)
2D shapes are flat. They have sides (straight edges) and corners (where sides meet). You can draw them on paper!
Triangle
3 sides, 3 corners
Square
4 equal sides, 4 corners
Rectangle
4 sides, 4 corners
Circle
0 sides, 0 corners
Hexagon
6 sides, 6 corners
Pentagon
5 sides, 5 corners
Oval
0 sides, 0 corners
3D Shapes (Solid Shapes)
3D shapes are solid — you can pick them up! They have faces (flat surfaces), edges (where faces meet), and vertices (corners).
| Shape | Looks Like | Faces | Edges | Vertices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cube | 🎲 Dice | 6 | 12 | 8 |
| Sphere | ⚽ Ball | 0 (1 curved) | 0 | 0 |
| Cylinder | 🥫 Tin can | 2 flat + 1 curved | 2 | 0 |
| Cone | 🍦 Ice cream cone | 1 flat + 1 curved | 1 | 1 |
| Rectangular prism | 📦 Box | 6 | 12 | 8 |
Lines of Symmetry
A line of symmetry divides a shape into two matching halves. If you folded the shape along the line, both halves would match exactly!
Circle
Infinite lines of symmetry!
Square
4 lines of symmetry
Equilateral Triangle
3 lines of symmetry
💡 How to Check for Symmetry
Imagine folding the shape along a line. If both halves match perfectly, that line is a line of symmetry!
Symmetry Around Us
Symmetry is everywhere in nature and in things people make!
Butterfly
1 line of symmetry
Flower
Many lines of symmetry
Snowflake
6 lines of symmetry
Your Face
Roughly 1 line!
Knowledge Check
Choose the correct answer for each question. Questions get harder as you go!
1. How many sides does a triangle have?
2. Which shape has no corners at all?
3. A ball is an example of which 3D shape?
4. What is the difference between a square and a rectangle?
5. How many faces does a cube have?
6. A shape has a line of symmetry. What does that mean?
7. How many sides does a hexagon have?
8. Which of these 3D shapes can roll AND stack?
9. How many lines of symmetry does a rectangle (that is NOT a square) have?
10. I am a 3D shape. I have 6 flat faces that are all the same size. I have 8 vertices and 12 edges. What am I?
Key Concepts Summary
- ●2D shapes are flat and have sides and corners.
- ●3D shapes are solid and have faces, edges, and vertices.
- ●A line of symmetry divides a shape into two matching halves.
- ●Symmetry is found everywhere in nature and everyday objects.