2D Shapes Teaching Resources
Bring dimension to 2D shapes for elementary students with printable worksheets, digital activities, math games and more — created by teachers for teachers!
This comprehensive collection of teaching resources includes editable curriculum-aligned lessons on two-dimensional shapes, all 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 math 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 primary grades 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, perimeter and area, among other geometry and measurement concepts.
2D Shapes — A Kid-Friendly Definition
Looking to provide a simple definition for your primary-grade 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 recognize 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 common examples of 2D shapes that we teach in elementary school:
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.
Trapezoid
A trapezoid is a quadrilateral shape with two parallel sides and two non-parallel sides. The parallel sides are called the bases of the trapezoid, and the non-parallel sides are called the legs. Even though a trapezoid 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 recognize 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
- Trapezoid
- 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.
2D Shapes in Kindergarten
Teaching kindergarten this year? You'll find circles, squares, and more are part of your curriculum.
Introduce your class to these basic 2D shapes and help them learn to identify them by their characteristics and properties, such as the number of sides, corners or curves.
At this stage, students should learn the names of these shapes and be able to draw or trace them. They also might be taught to sort and classify shapes based on their attributes.
2D Shapes Throughout Elementary School
As students leave the primary grades and develop their math skills, they will learn about the relationships between different 2D shapes, such as:
- How a rectangle is made up of two congruent squares
- How a square can be divided into two congruent rectangles
- How to measure different features of shapes
- Learning that shapes in different categories (e.g., rhombuses, rectangles, and others) may share attributes (e.g., having four sides), and the shared attributes can define a larger category (e.g., quadrilaterals).
- Classify two-dimensional figures in a hierarchy of sets and subsets using graphic organizers based on their attributes and properties.
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Christmas Symmetry Worksheets - Mirrored Drawing Activity
Explore symmetry with these printable Christmas-themed symmetry worksheets.
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Christmas Angles Worksheet for 4th Grade
Identify acute, obtuse, and right angles with a Christmas Angle Worksheet for 4th Grade.
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Color by Number Christmas - Geometry Worksheet
Use a Color by Number Christmas Geometry worksheet to practice classifying 2D and 3D shapes.
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Christmas Math Mats - Pattern Block Picture Cards
Print a set of Christmas pattern block picture cards to help children develop shape recognition and fine motor skills.
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Identifying Christmas Shapes - Coloring Pages
Use knowledge of 2D shapes to color in these Christmas-themed shape coloring pages.
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Ada Lovelace - Cut and Paste Shapes and Patterns Activity
Explore shapes and patterns with the female programmer, Ada Lovelace, with this cut-and-paste activity for young students.
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Missing Angles – 4th Grade Math Worksheet
Download this missing angles worksheet to get your students calculating missing angles on right and straight angles.
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Printable Protractor Templates
Teach your students how to measure angles using a protractor with these 180° and 360° printable protractor templates.
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Santa's New Sleigh - Christmas Geometry Worksheet
Design Santa a new sleigh using geometric figures with a fun Christmas math worksheet.
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Christmas Math Tasks - Attributes of Shapes Activity
Combine Christmas and math with these 2D and 3D Shape Christmas Math Review Task Cards.
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Regular and Irregular Polygons
Use this teacher-created resource for teaching about regular and irregular polygons.
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2D and 3D Shapes Crossword with Solution
A crossword with clues for both 2D and 3D shapes.
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Intersecting, Parallel, and Perpendicular Lines Worksheet Set
Use this intersecting, parallel, and perpendicular lines worksheet set to introduce your students to basic line concepts.
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Lines of Symmetry Teaching Slides
Introduce your students to the concept of lines of symmetry using this comprehensive and easy-to-understand 12-slide teaching presentation!
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Draw The Line of Symmetry Worksheets
Use this lines of symmetry worksheet to help students practice drawing lines of symmetry on 2D shapes.
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Find the Line of Symmetry Interactive Resource
Have fun with your class using this interactive learning tool to find the line of symmetry on various shapes and objects!
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We're Going On a Shape Hunt! Graphing Game
Consolidate students' knowledge of 2D shapes while teaching about data collection, recording and graphing!
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2D Shapes Anchor Chart Set
Hang this 2D shapes anchor chart set in your classroom to give students an easy reference for the attributes of two dimensional shapes.
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Identify and Color 2D Shapes Worksheet
Use this 2D shapes worksheet to help your students identify 8 of the most common two-dimensional shapes.
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Busy Binder - Kindergarten Morning Work Activity Book
Review daily calendar, math, literacy, and fine motor skills with a printable kindergarten Busy Binder workbook!
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Calculating Missing Angles Interactive Activity
Get your students to find missing angles with this interactive game perfect for 4th grade math lessons.
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Is It a Line of Symmetry? Worksheets
Assign this lines of symmetry worksheet to your students to check their understanding of the existence of a line of symmetry on various 2D shapes.
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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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Classifying Angles – 4th Grade Sorting Activity
Help students recognize different types of angles in everyday life with this hands-on sorting activity.
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Exploring Rotational Symmetry Worksheets - Drawing Prompts
Encourage creativity and practice knowledge of rotational symmetry with a set of exciting symmetry drawing worksheets.
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Shape Worksheet Sets (Kindergarten to 6th Grade Level)
Use these leveled worksheets sets with your elementary school students to explore 2D shapes and 3D shapes!
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Types of Angles Anchor Charts
Remind your students about the most common types of angles with this set of six classroom anchor charts.
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5th Grade Math Review – Google Slides Interactive Activity
Review important 5th-grade math standards with a student-led interactive activity that covers 12 different mathematical concepts.
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Coloring 2-D Shapes Worksheet
Practice identifying rectangles, squares, circles, and triangles with this 1-page worksheet.
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Scarecrow Shape Hunt Worksheet
Practice identifying circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles with a fall-themed Scarecrow Shape hunt worksheet.
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Mini-Mystery – Which Key Opens the Door?
Use knowledge of 2-D shapes and right angles to solve the mystery in this fun, logic-based activity.