Nets of 3-D Shapes
Identify, draw, and interpret nets of common 3-D shapes — cubes, cuboids, triangular prisms, and square-based pyramids — by predicting which 3-D shape a given flat arrangement of faces will fold into, checking whether a net will close completely, and sketching a net from a description or 3-D model; understand the relationship between the number of faces and the structure of the net
Typical age: 8–11 years
“If your child is given a flat T-shaped piece of card with six squares, can they tell you — before folding — that it makes a cube, and point out which square will become each face?”
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- Edges, vertices, and faces
Counting edges, vertices, and faces is reinforced by analysing nets where each face is visible as a separate 2-D shape
- 3-D shapes (age 10+)REQUIRED
Recognising, describing, and building 3-D shapes by making nets is the core application of net literacy
- 2-D shapes (age 7+)
Drawing 2-D shapes and making 3-D shapes from materials is supported by being able to sketch and interpret nets
- 3-D shapes (age 9+)REQUIRED
Identifying 3-D shapes from 2-D representations requires understanding the relationship between a net and its solid