2D and 3D Shapes — Answer Key
Part A: Sort the Words
Sort each word or number into the correct category box.
1. Sort each 3D shape into the correct category.
Can Roll
spherecylindercone Cannot Roll
cuberectangular prismpyramid Shapes with a curved surface (sphere, cylinder, cone) can roll, while shapes made only of flat faces (cube, rectangular prism, pyramid) rest on a flat side and stay still.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A rectangular prism has 6 faces.
A rectangular prism, like a cereal box, has 6 flat faces: top, bottom, front, back, and two sides.
2. A cone has 1 curved surface.
A cone has 1 curved surface that wraps around from the flat circular bottom up to the point at the top, like an ice cream cone.
3. A cube has 12 edges.
A cube has 12 edges — 4 around the top square, 4 around the bottom square, and 4 vertical edges connecting them.
4. A sphere can roll but cannot stack.
A sphere is curved all the way around with no flat face, so it can roll freely but has nowhere for another shape to sit flat on top.
5. A pyramid has 1 vertex at the top.
A pyramid's triangular sides all meet at a single point above the base, forming 1 pointed vertex at the very top.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. A cylinder can both roll and stack.
True False
A cylinder has a curved side that lets it roll plus two flat circular faces on its ends that let it stack, like a soup can.
2. A cube can roll.
True False
A cube only has flat square faces and sharp edges, so it will always land on a flat side instead of rolling smoothly.
3. A sphere has 0 edges.
True False
Edges form where two faces meet, but a sphere is one smooth curved surface with no faces meeting, so it has 0 edges.
4. A cone has 2 flat faces.
True False
A cone only has 1 flat face — the circular bottom — because the rest is a curved surface that tapers up to the point.