Exploring Solids & Boxes

Dear Family,

For the next few weeks, we will be doing a mathematics unit called Exploring Solids and Boxes. The goal of this unit is for students to become comfortable with the characteristics of basic geometric shapes, such as pyramids, cubes and prisms.

Learning about three-dimensional (3-D) shapes is an often-overlooked part of mathematics. This is surprising because the ability to reason about 3-D shapes is a very practical mathematical skill. Jobs ranging from architecture to fashion design to constructoin work require that people know how to think about and manipulate shapes. Many jobs also require workers to read two-dimensional plans for geometric shapes, and to translate the plans into three dimensions. These are just the kinds of skills that your child will be working on.

In this unit, the class will be building common 2-D and 3-D shapes. Students will make open boxes out of paper and fill boxes with small cubes. This gives them a chance to develop their ideas about how much space is actually in a box (volume). As a final project, students design and build a city out of paper boxes and figure how much room is in their buildings.

For homework, your child might be asked to find objects that have the same shape as those we are studying in class. Your child may also be asked to draw paper patterns that fold to make different geometric shapes.

You can help your child by showing an interest in and talking about what the class is doing. Another way you can help throughout this unit, and throughout the year, is to encourage your child to work with building toys and materials that you have around the house. Elementary students are never too old to play with blocks- nor are their parents! This play serves an important learning need: It stimulates children to make observations and draw conclusions about properties of two and three dimensional objects and shapes.