Assign students to bring an item to school from home that is a three-dimensional shape. Seat all students in a circle on the floor and have them toss the shapes into the center of the ring. Pick up one shape at a time and discuss the name of the shape and the properties that are unique to that shape. Students can sort the items by shape.
Lead your second-grade students through an activity that will familiarize them with the three-dimensional shapes identified throughout the school building. Divide the class into teams of three or four students. Each team will need a list of three-dimensional shapes they are familiar with, such as a cone, sphere and rectangular prism. Send the teams on a hallway hunt for the shapes on their lists. As shapes are identified, ask students to write the name of the object that fulfills the shape named on the list. After approximately 20 minutes of hunting, tell groups to go back to the classroom and review the various items that were identified for each of the three-dimensional shapes.
Actively involve your students as they learn about three-dimensional shapes. Each student will need 12 gum drops and 14 toothpicks. Working as a whole group, ask students to count out and set aside four gum drops and four toothpicks. Instruct them to make a two-dimensional square. Repeat the steps so each student has a set of two squares. Students can then count out and set aside four more toothpicks. They must use these toothpicks to create a cube by connecting the two squares atop one another with toothpicks connecting each corner gum drop of the two squares. Lead students through making a variety of three-dimensional shapes. Discuss the name and properties of each shape created.
Use moldable clay to help students explore and identify three-dimensional shapes. Draw a rectangular pyramid on the board. Students must each attempt to make a three-dimensional version of what they observe on the board, using a clump of clay. As each student has completed the shape, discuss the properties of the rectangular pyramid. Students should count five faces on their shape, four are triangles and one should be a square or rectangle. Repeat this process with other three-dimensional shapes such as a sphere, cube, rectangular prism and cone.