Virginia SOL 4.MG.6.b
The Standard
Identify and describe solid figures (cube, rectangular prism, square pyramid, and sphere) according to their characteristics (number of angles, vertices, edges, and by the number and shape of faces).
Virginia Standards of Learning for Mathematics · The student will identify, describe, compare, and contrast plane and solid figures according to their characteristics (number of angles, vertices, edges, and the number and shape of faces), with and without models.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students name cubes, rectangular prisms, square pyramids, and spheres from models or drawings. They count vertices, edges, and faces, then describe the shape of each face or curved surface.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students correctly name each solid from a model or picture. They count visible and hidden features and describe face shapes, including that a sphere has one curved surface and no faces, edges, or vertices.
Common Misconceptions
- Students often count faces and edges twice, miss hidden parts, or use corner and edge as if they mean the same thing. They may call a sphere's curved surface a face or assume every pyramid has a square base.
How to Assess It
- Give students pictures of the four solids. Ask them to name each one, then record the faces, edges, and vertices of the square pyramid.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs solid models, sticky dots, and yarn so they can mark vertices, trace edges, and record each face shape.
Ask students to compare a cube and rectangular prism using the words faces, edges, vertices, squares, and rectangles.
Play Mystery Solid with clue cards, such as, “I have five faces, and four are triangles,” then have students name the solid.
Have students inspect classroom packages and objects, name each solid shape, and justify each choice with two features.
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Printable 4.MG.6.b Worksheet
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Related Standards
- 4.MG.6.c
Compare and contrast plane and solid figures (limited to circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, spheres, cubes, square pyramids, and rectangular prisms) accor...
- 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...
- 2.MG.4.c
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, num...
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