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Grade PreK Math Units

Unit Plan 25 (PreK Math): Build & Draw 3D Shapes

Explore and name 3D shapes (cube, sphere, cone), describe flat/curved parts, and test how they roll, slide, or stack while building simple models with clay and recycled materials.

Dr. Michael Kester-Haynes

• 5 min read
Unit Plan 25 (PreK Math): Build & Draw 3D Shapes

Focus: Model and describe 3D shapes (cube, sphere, cone; optional cylinder) using clay, blocks, and recycled materials; notice faces/curves, roll/slide/stack behaviors, and simple parts (edges/corners).

Grade Level: PreK

Subject Area: Mathematics (Geometry—3D Shapes & Composition)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 20–30 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Children explore solid shapes they can hold and build—cubes, spheres, cones (and optional cylinders). Through playful investigations, they learn to name shapes, notice how they move (roll/slide/stack), and build simple models with clay, blocks, and boxes.

Essential Questions

  • What 3D shapes do I see and feel in my classroom?
  • How do some shapes roll, slide, or stack?
  • How can I build a 3D shape using clay, blocks, or recycled pieces?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

  1. Identify and name basic 3D shapes (cube, sphere, cone; optional cylinder).
  2. Describe simple features (flat vs. curved surfaces; corners/edges in child language).
  3. Test how shapes move (roll/slide) and whether they stack; tell what they notice.
  4. Build and draw representations of 3D shapes using clay, blocks, and recyclables.
  5. Compose shapes into new figures (e.g., cone + cylinder for a rocket), then share what they made.

Standards Alignment — Custom CCSS-style Pre-Kindergarten

  • PK.G.4 — Build & draw simple shapes. Uses sticks, clay, geoboards, or drawing tools to make shapes. Example: Forms a triangle with 3 craft sticks. Aligns to: K.G.5 (direct).
  • PK.G.5 — Compose shapes. Puts two or more shapes together to make a new figure or picture. Example: Two triangles make a rectangle/“house roof.” Aligns to: K.G.6 (direct).
  • Mathematical Practices: MP.1–MP.6 threaded (perseverance; modeling/tools; precision; structure/regularity).

Success Criteria — Student Language

  • I can name cube, sphere, cone.
  • I can tell if a shape rolls, slides, or stacks and why.
  • I can build a 3D shape and talk about its parts (flat/curved, corners/edges).