Step into the third dimension! Explore cubes, spheres, cones, and cylinders. Discover how to divide shapes into equal parts - halves and fourths. Build 3D thinking skills!
Explore 3D shapes and learn to divide into equal parts!
Identify 3D shapes from the real world!
Drag shapes to real objects!
🖱️ Drag options below to the correct boxes (computer) or click to move (mobile)
How many equal parts?
Which are divided equally?
Click all correct options
Explore the third dimension and learn to share equally! Build spatial and fraction understanding!
A cube is a 3D shape with 6 SQUARE faces (sides), 8 corners (vertices), and 12 edges! All faces are identical squares. Think of dice, boxes, and Rubik's cubes. Cubes are like 3D squares!
💡 Think of a cube like a box - you can hold it, it has volume, and all sides are squares!
Dice & Game Cubes
Dice are perfect cubes - 6 square faces numbered 1-6. Roll them for games!
Rubik's Cube
The famous puzzle is a cube! Turn it and see all 6 colorful square faces!
Ice Cubes
Ice cubes in your drink are (usually) cube-shaped! 6 cold square faces!
Boxes & Packages
Many boxes are cubes - gift boxes, storage boxes. Stack them easily!
Confusing cubes with squares! Squares are flat (2D), cubes are solid (3D)!
A sphere is perfectly ROUND in all directions! No faces, no edges, no corners - just smooth and round. Spheres roll in any direction. Like balls, oranges, and planets!
💡 Think of a sphere like a 3D circle - round everywhere you look, no flat spots!
Sports Balls
Basketballs, soccer balls, tennis balls - all spheres! Roll and bounce perfectly!
Planets & Earth
Earth is a sphere! The moon too! Round in every direction!
Oranges & Grapes
Many fruits are sphere-shaped - oranges, grapes, cherries. Round and delicious!
Marbles & Pearls
Marbles roll because they're perfect spheres! Pearls too!
Thinking circles and spheres are the same. Circles are flat, spheres are 3D!
A cone has a CIRCULAR base and comes to a POINT at the top! Like an ice cream cone or a party hat. One curved surface, one flat circular base, and one pointy vertex!
💡 Think of a cone like a triangle that spun around - it has a circular bottom and pointed top!
Ice Cream Cones
Waffle cones are cone-shaped! Circular opening at top, point at bottom!
Party Hats
Birthday party hats are cones! Circular bottom fits your head, point on top!
Traffic Cones
Orange safety cones on roads - cone shaped! Circular base, pointed top!
Megaphones
Old-style megaphones are cone-shaped - sound travels through the cone!
Thinking triangles and cones are the same. Triangles are flat, cones are solid 3D!
A cylinder has TWO circular faces (top and bottom) connected by a CURVED surface! Like a can or a tube. The two circles are parallel and the same size. Rolls in one direction!
💡 Think of a cylinder like a circle that got stretched tall - two circle ends connected by a tube!
Soda Cans
Cans are cylinders! Circular top, circular bottom, curved sides! Perfect for drinking!
Paper Towel Rolls
The cardboard tube inside paper towels - cylinder! Two circle ends!
Drums
Drums are cylinders! Circle on top to hit, circle on bottom, curved sides!
Batteries
AA and AAA batteries are cylinders - roll them on a table!
Confusing cylinders with circles. Circles are flat, cylinders have height and volume!
3D shapes are EVERYWHERE! Once you learn them, you'll spot cubes, spheres, cones, and cylinders all around. Buildings use 3D shapes, packages use them, nature uses them! 3D shapes make up our world!
💡 Think of yourself as a 3D shape detective - on a mission to find shapes in the real world!
In Buildings
Windows (rectangular prisms), towers (cylinders), roofs (pyramids/cones)!
In Packages
Boxes (cubes/rectangular prisms), cans (cylinders), egg cartons (connected spheres)!
In Nature
Tree trunks (cylinders), pebbles (spheres), mountains (cones/pyramids)!
In Food
Pizza boxes (rectangular prisms), oranges (spheres), ice cream cones (cones)!
Only seeing flat shapes! Train your eyes to see the depth and volume of 3D objects!
A HALF means dividing something into 2 EQUAL parts! Each piece is 1/2 (one-half). Both halves must be the SAME SIZE. Like cutting a sandwich in half - fair sharing!
💡 Think of halves like sharing with a friend - split it down the middle so both pieces are equal!
Sandwich Halves
Cut a sandwich straight down the middle = 2 halves! Each half is 1/2 of the whole!
Pizza Split
Cut a pizza in half = 2 equal pieces! Each person gets 1/2 the pizza!
Circle Halves
Draw a line through the center of a circle = 2 equal halves! Like a half-moon!
Rectangle Halves
Cut a rectangle lengthwise or crosswise = 2 equal halves! Two ways to make halves!
Making unequal pieces! Halves must be EXACTLY the same size, not close!
FOURTHS (also called QUARTERS) means dividing into 4 EQUAL parts! Each piece is 1/4 (one-fourth or one-quarter). All four pieces must be the SAME SIZE. Like cutting a square into 4 smaller squares!
💡 Think of fourths like dividing into four friends - everyone gets an equal share!
Square into Fourths
Draw a + through a square = 4 equal squares! Each is 1/4 of the whole!
Pizza Quarters
Cut pizza into 4 equal slices = fourths! Each slice is 1/4 (one-quarter) of pizza!
Circle Fourths
Draw a + through a circle = 4 equal wedges! Like slicing a pie!
Quarter Coins
A quarter coin is 1/4 of a dollar! Four quarters = one whole dollar!
Not making all 4 pieces equal! Check carefully that all fourths are identical!
EQUAL PARTS means each piece is EXACTLY the same size! Partitioning means dividing a shape into equal parts. You can partition many ways - halves, thirds, fourths, and more! Fair sharing means equal parts!
💡 Think of equal parts like fairness - everyone gets the same amount, no one gets more or less!
Checking Equality
If you can flip or rotate pieces and they match perfectly - they're equal!
Different Ways to Partition
A rectangle can be halved vertically, horizontally, or diagonally - all valid!
Fair Sharing Stories
4 friends share 2 sandwiches equally. Each gets 1/2 sandwich! Equal parts!
Naming Parts
1/2 = one-half, 1/4 = one-fourth or one-quarter. The bottom number tells how many parts!
Thinking 'close enough' is equal. Equal means EXACTLY the same, not approximately!
Practice identifying 3D shapes and dividing into equal parts!
Start Practice Quiz