The purpose of this activity is for students to draw quadrilaterals, pentagons, and hexagons, and to compare the attributes of different shapes that have the same number of sides. They continue to notice that shapes in these categories have the same number of sides and the same number of corners. They may describe differences in shapes that are in the same category, based on the lengths of their sides and their orientations. They may also use informal language to describe differences in the corners of each shape (for example, square corners or “sharp” corners). Students learn to describe and measure angles formally in grade 4.

If students draw shapes with a number of sides other than the number of sides that define the named shape, consider asking:

• “How do you know this is a ______ (quadrilateral, pentagon or hexagon)?”
• “How could you use the completed shape to help you draw another ______ (quadrilateral, pentagon or hexagon)?”

• Display 2–3 previously identified student examples of each shape.
• “What are the ways these shapes are different?” (different side lengths, different corners)
• If time, display nonexamples of quadrilaterals, pentagons, or hexagons that students have drawn, or display some examples, such as:

• “Would any of these shapes be a quadrilateral, a pentagon, or a hexagon? Why or why not?” (No, the one on the far left has 4 sides and only 3 corners, so it’s not a quadrilateral.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to draw shapes that have a given number of sides or corners. Students then compare shapes, based on their numbers of sides and corners.

If students circle only one shape or draw a shape with a number of sides or corners that does not meet the criteria, consider asking:

• “How do you know this shape could be _____ (Clare’s or Andre’s) shape? Are there any other shapes that could be _____ (Clare’s or Andre’s) shape?”
• “How can you change your shape so it has _____ (fewer than 5 sides, 4 corners, or more than 4 corners)?”

• Display 2–3 previously identified student examples for Han’s shape.
• “How are these shapes different?” (different side lengths, different numbers of sides and corners)
• “Could each of these shapes be Han’s shape? Explain.” (Andre's shape has 4 sides and corners, so it could be any shape that has more than 4 sides and 4 corners. We could draw different shapes as long as they have more than 4 sides and 4 corners.)