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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Symmetry Worksheets
Use this set of eight symmetry worksheets to help students understand symmetry, the line of symmetry, and symmetrical objects.
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Symmetry Drawing Worksheet Pack
Teach your students about symmetry using this series of drawing worksheets where they must copy an image symmetrically using grid lines for reference.
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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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Regular and Irregular Polygons
Use this teacher-created resource for teaching about regular and irregular polygons.
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Identifying and Naming Angles – 4th Grade Math Worksheet
Identify acute, right, obtuse, straight, reflex and revolution angles with this cut-and-paste sorting worksheet.
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Fire Truck Printable Math Worksheets (PK-K)
Build number and 2D shape identification skills with our Fire Truck Printable Math Worksheets for Pre-K and Kindergarten.
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Measuring Angles in Images – 4th Grade Math 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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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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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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Bug Shapes - Playdoh Mats
Build fine motor skills and build shape recognition skills with a set of fun insect-themed playdough mats.
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2D and 3D Shape Posters
Use this set of 14 brightly colored 2D and 3D shape posters to decorate your classroom and build academic vocabulary.
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Color by 2D Shape - Egg
Practice identifying shapes and colors with this one-page worksheet.
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Supplementary Angles – 4th Grade Math Worksheet
Teach your students to identify and calculate supplementary angles with this one-page maths worksheet.
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Shape Fire Truck Craft Template
Use a Shape Fire Truck Craft Template to help your students identify 2D shapes during Fire Prevention Week.
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Drawing Angles Worksheet Set
Use our drawing angles worksheet set to give students differentiated practice in classifying and constructing angles.
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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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Estimating and Measuring Angles With a Protractor Worksheet Set
Assign our estimating and measuring angles with a protractor worksheet set to your students for tiered practice with a variety of angle types.
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2D Shapes Puzzle Pack
Use these 2D shape puzzles to help familiarise your students with the most common two-dimensional shapes.
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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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Angles 4th Grade Math Project – Design a Room
Turn your students into interior designers with this inquiry-based math project based on drawing and measuring angles.
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Comparing and Naming Angles – 4th Grade Math Worksheets
Assess your students’ understanding of angle types with the set of differentiated student worksheets.
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5th Grade Math Review – Test Prep Packet
Encourage your students to work through 8 pages of 5th-grade math problems while charting their progress to measure their success.
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Shape Playdough Mats for Fine Motor Development
A set of 6 shape playdough mats to help children develop their fine motor skills and identify different 2D shapes.
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I Can Draw 100 Shapes Worksheet — 100th Day Activity
Celebrate the 100th Day of School in the classroom with printable 100th Day of School Math worksheets.
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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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Tracing and Drawing 2-D Shapes – Worksheet
A simple trace and draw worksheet for 2-D shapes.
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2-D Shape Match
A fun match-up activity to consolidate your students’ knowledge of 2-D shapes and their attributes.
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2-D Shape Dominoes
A set of dominoes to help students with their understanding of 2-D shapes.
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Tangram Pieces
A set of tangram pieces.
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Drawing Angles Anchor Chart
Remind your students how to draw angles using a protractor with this classroom anchor chart.
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Angles at a Point – 4th Grade Math Worksheet
A worksheet to use when learning about finding angles at a point.
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Acute, Right and Obtuse Angles – 4th Grade Math Worksheet
Identify acute, right and obtuse angles with this cut-and-paste sorting worksheet.