2D Shapes Teaching Resources
Bring dimension to 2D shapes for primary students with printable worksheets, digital activities, maths games and more — created by teachers for teachers!
This comprehensive collection of teaching resources includes editable lessons on two-dimensional shapes, aligned to the Australian curriculum and ready to be printed and used in the classroom. Explore the entire collection to find educational games, geometric activities, posters and vocabulary word wall cards to assist your students when they are learning to identify 2D figures by their names and their attributes.
Teaching this part of the maths curriculum for the first time in a while? Read on for a primer from the teachers on the Teach Starter team.
What Are 2D Shapes?
Two-dimensional shapes, or 2D shapes, are shapes that have only length and width, but no depth. Each of these geometric shapes has its own unique characteristics and properties, such as the number of sides, the types of angles and the relationship between the sides and angles.
For example, a square has four equal sides and four right angles, while a circle has no sides and no angles.
Teaching about 2D geometric shapes is crucial in those early years classrooms as these are the building blocks of more complex geometric concepts. Understanding them is an important foundation for developing spatial reasoning skills. It will also lay the groundwork for learning about symmetry, angles and perimeter and area, among other geometry and measurement concepts.
2D Shapes — A Kid-Friendly Definition
Looking to provide a simple definition for your primary students? Here's a kid-friendly definition you can use:
A 2D shape is a flat shape that has only two dimensions — length and width. When something is two-dimensional, it's flat like a drawing or a picture on a piece of paper.
Understanding 2D shapes is important because it helps us recognise and describe the shapes we see around us, and it can also help us with math and other subjects.
2D Shape Examples
A definition is a good start, but providing concrete examples will help students begin to wrap their heads around these two dimensional-objects!
Let's look at some of the common examples of 2D shapes that we teach in the early years:
Square
A square is a 2D shape with four straight sides that are all equal in length and four right angles. It is a type of rectangle and a type of parallelogram.
Rectangle
A rectangle is a 2-dimensional shape that has four straight sides. Unlike a square, a rectangle has two sides that are longer than the other two. It has four right angles and opposite sides that are parallel and equal in length.
Parallelogram
Like a rectangle and square, the parallelogram has four sides and is considered a 2D shape. The four straight sides of a parallelogram are parallel to each other. Opposite sides of a parallelogram are equal in length, and opposite angles are equal in measure. Squares, rectangles and rhombuses are all examples of parallelograms.
Trapezium
A trapezium (or trapezoid) is a quadrilateral shape with two parallel sides and two non-parallel sides. The parallel sides are called the bases of the trapezium, and the non-parallel sides are called the legs. Even though a trapezium has four sides, it is not a parallelogram!
Triangle
A triangle is a two-dimensional shape that has three straight sides and three angles. The angles of a triangle always add up to 180 degrees.
Circle
A circle is a 2D geometric shape that is round and has no straight sides. It is defined as the set of all points in a plane that are at a fixed distance (called the radius) from a single point (called the center).
Ellipse
An ellipse is a 2D shape that is similar to a circle, but its shape is stretched out or elongated. It is defined as the set of all points in a plane whose distances from two fixed points (called the foci) add up to a constant value.
Pentagon
A pentagon is a 2D shape that has five straight sides and five angles. The word 'pentagon' comes from the Greek words 'penta' (meaning 'five') and 'gonia' (meaning 'angle'). Each angle of a regular pentagon measures 108 degrees, and the sum of the angles in a pentagon is 540 degrees.
Hexagon
A hexagon is a 2D shape that has six straight sides and six angles. Each angle of a hexagon measures 120 degrees, and the sum of the angles in a hexagon is 720 degrees. Snowflakes are a common example of hexagons found in nature, and so is the honeycomb!
Rhombus
A rhombus is a 2D shape with four straight sides that are all equal in length. It is a type of parallelogram, and it has opposite angles that are equal in measure.
Octagon
An octagon is an eight-sided 2D shape. A stop sign is an octagon that students might recognise from seeing it along the road on the way to school.
Quadrilateral
A quadrilateral is a 2D shape with four sides and four angles. The sum of the interior angles of a quadrilateral is always 360 degrees. The following are all examples of quadrilaterals:
- Square
- Rectangle
- Parallelogram
- Trapezium
- Rhombus
What Are Polygons?
Many of the 2D shapes that students learn about are polygons.
A polygon is a 2D shape that has three or more straight sides and angles. Polygons can have any number of sides, but they must be straight, and they must not cross each other.
The word 'polygon' comes from the Greek words 'poly' (which means 'many') and 'gonia' (which means 'angle').
Here are some common examples of polygons:
- Triangles
- Squares
- Rectangles
- Pentagons
- Hexagons
- Octagons
A circle and an ellipse are both 2D shapes, but they are not polygons. They have a curved shape, while polygons consist of a closed structure with sides.
- Plus Plan
Measuring Angles in Images Worksheets
Get your students using their protractors to measure acute, obtuse, right, straight and reflex angles with this set of differentiated angles worksheets.
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Directions with Right Angle Turns Worksheet
Teach your students to give and follow directions using right angles with this 2-page maths worksheet for Year 3 students.
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Right Angle Turn Patterns Worksheet
Teach your students to make shape patterns using right angle turns with this differentiated maths worksheet for Year 3 students.
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Angles in Our Environment Interactive Game
Bring an extra dimension of fun into your Year 3 maths classroom with an interactive game exploring angles in the environment.
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Angles as Measures of a Turn Teaching Slides
Teach your students about the relationship between measures of a turn and right angles with this teaching presentation for Year 3 students.
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2D Shapes Mystery Bag
This 2D shapes interactive teaching resource helps students to identify the properties of 2D shapes everyday items in their environment.
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Interactive Google Slides Activity - Who Am I? 2D Shapes
This interactive digital teaching resource helps students to recognise and name 2D shapes in component parts of everyday items in their environment.
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2D Shape Maths Investigation - My Crazy Cubby House!
A mathematics investigation involving 2D shape, embedded in a real-world context.
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Individual 2D Shapes Posters - BW
2D Shapes and their names, diagrams and properties on individual posters.
- Free Plan
Flip, Slide, Turn Poster
A visual poster examining the difference between flipping, sliding and turning a shape.
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Tessellating Shapes Worksheet Set
Download this tessellating shapes worksheet set to introduce your students to the beauty of tesselations.
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Parallel and Perpendicular Lines PPT — Teaching Slides
Download this parallel and perpendicular lines PPT to engage your students as you teach them about different line types!
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Identifying Parallel and Perpendicular Lines in Shapes Worksheet Pack
Present this parallel and perpendicular lines in shapes worksheet pack to your students to give them practice identifying attributes of 2D shapes.
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Sorting Symmetrical Shapes Worksheets
Use this simple but effective symmetry worksheet to reinforce the concepts of symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes with your Grade Four students.
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Angles in Our Environment Teaching Slides
Explore angles in the environment using this comprehensive teaching presentation for Year 3 students.
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Monster Right Angle Finder Template
Help your students identify right angles in the environment with this monster-inspired right angle finder.
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Types of Angles Task Cards
Explore the six main types of angles with this set of 24 task cards.
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Advanced Angles Poster Pack
Teach your students about alternate, co-interior, corresponding and vertically opposite angles with this set of classroom posters.
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2D Shape Poster Set
Use this set of 16 brightly coloured 2D shapes with your geometry lessons.
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Printable Angle Maker Template
Create and classify some angles with this hands-on printable that is super fun to use.
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Advanced Angles Teaching Slides
Teach your students about advanced angle types with this teaching presentation perfect for upper primary school maths lessons.
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Angle Sum of a Quadrilateral – Year 7 Maths Worksheet
Calculate the missing angle in a variety of quadrilaterals with this one-page worksheet.
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Angles Bingo
Generate excitement about angles in your classroom by playing this whole-class types of angles bingo game.
- Free Plan
2D Shape Puppet Templates
Use these cute shape puppets when discussing 2D shape names and their properties to your students.
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Geometric Reasoning Worksheets - Year 4
2 geometric reasoning worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Geometric Reasoning Worksheets - Year 3
2 geometric reasoning worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
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Tangram Activity
A poster showing examples of tangram shapes and a tangram template.
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Ye Olde Geometry Town Project
Build a charming medieval village in our Ye Olde Geometry Town project, designed to give your students engaging hands-on practice with multiple geometry standards.
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Identifying Lines of Symmetry Interactive Activity
Explore this rail-yard themed interactive activity with your students to teach them how to identify lines of symmetry.
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Identifying Lines of Symmetry Task Cards
Use this set of 24 task cards to help your students practise identifying lines of symmetry in 2D shapes.
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Identifying Lines of Symmetry Poster
Display this poster in your classroom as a reference tool for students to learn to identify lines of symmetry.
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Angle Word Problems – Worksheet
Download these angles word problem worksheets so your students can practise calculating missing angles.
- 2D Shapes Worksheets
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- 2D Shapes Templates
- 2D Shapes for Preschool/Kindergarten
- 2D Shapes for Foundation Year
- 2D Shapes for Year 1
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