2D or 3D?

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Look at these two shapes.

They both have straight lines and lots of corners.

• So how are they different?

One is 2D, and the other is 3D!

• You might be wondering—what does 2D mean?

2D stands for two-dimensional. That means the shape goes two ways: side to side and up and down.

Take a look at a square. It goes side to side. It goes up and down.

That’s it—two directions. A square is flat. You can draw it on paper. You cannot pick it up or hold it like an object. Because it is flat and only goes two ways, it is a 2D shape.

Now think about a 3D shape.

3D stands for three-dimensional. That means the shape goes three ways: side to side, up and down, and front to back.

A cube is a 3D shape. It has length, width, and height. You can hold it. It takes up space. It is not flat.

Here is a simple way to test a shape.

If it is flat and can be drawn on paper, it is 2D.

If it is solid and takes up space, it is 3D.

For example

So remember: 2D shapes are flat and go two ways. 3D shapes are solid and go three ways.

Now that you know the difference, move on and test your knowledge in the next section!

• Where can you see 2D and 3D shapes in real life?

Good question!

Look at these 2D and 3D shape examples in real life.

Now that you know how to tell 2D and 3D shapes apart, move to the Got It? section to test your knowledge of shapes!