Virginia SOL 2.MG.4.c
The Standard
Given a concrete or pictorial model, name and describe the solid figure (sphere, cube, and rectangular prism) by its characteristics (e.g., number of edges, number of vertices, shapes of faces).
Virginia Standards of Learning for Mathematics · The student will describe, name, compare, and contrast plane and solid figures (circles/spheres, squares/cubes, and rectangles/rectangular prisms).
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students name a sphere, cube, or rectangular prism from a model or picture. They describe each solid by counting faces, edges, and vertices and identifying face shapes.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students correctly name each solid from an object or picture, even when it is turned. They describe a cube, rectangular prism, and sphere using accurate counts and face shapes.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may call a cube a square or a sphere a circle, confusing solids with flat shapes. They may count only visible faces, edges, or vertices in a picture. Some think turning a solid changes its name.
How to Assess It
- Place a cube, rectangular prism, and sphere on a table. Ask students to name each solid and record its faces, edges, vertices, and face shapes or curved surface.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Use clay balls and toothpicks to build cube and rectangular prism skeletons, then compare them with a foam sphere.
Show one solid and ask, “What clues prove its name?” Students cite faces, edges, vertices, and curved surfaces.
Play Solid Figure Riddles: students match clue cards such as “six square faces” to a cube card.
Examine a cereal box, gift cube, and playground ball, then record which geometric solid each object resembles and why.
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Related Standards
- 4.MG.6.b
Identify and describe solid figures (cube, rectangular prism, square pyramid, and sphere) according to their characteristics (number of angles, vertices, edges,...
- 2.MG.4
The student will describe, name, compare, and contrast plane and solid figures (circles/spheres, squares/cubes, and rectangles/rectangular prisms).
- 4.MG.6.a
Identify concrete models and pictorial representations of solid figures (cube, rectangular prism, square pyramid, sphere, cone, and cylinder).
- 2.MG.4.d
Compare and contrast plane and solid figures (circles/spheres, squares/cubes, and rectangles/rectangular prisms) according to their characteristics (e.g., numbe...
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