Duration: 15 minutes
SPIRIT Skills:
- Critical thinking
Brief Description:
Teams combine exit-ticket ideas and answer: “Why are pyramids called triangular/square/rectangular?” using base shape evidence.
How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills
- Builds critical thinking by classifying pyramids and justifying answers using base-shape evidence
- Encourages students to select the most accurate explanation based on observation
What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?
As a result of this activity, students (will be able to/understand/do …):
- Critical thinking: explain that pyramids are named by their base shape and give one example.
- Critical thinking: use at least two geometry words correctly (base, face, point/vertex, edge/line).
Academic/Curriculum Objective connection
- Identifying and naming 3D shapes based on defining features
- Using geometry vocabulary in speech and reasoning.
Materials and tools needed for implementation
- Exit-ticket sheets (from videos)
- Chart paper + markers
- Teacher model pyramid (visible).
Preparation notes
- Prepare a prompt card: “Name comes from the base.”
- Have visuals ready: triangle → triangular, square → square, rectangle → rectangular.
Guided Questions
- “What shape is the base?”
- “If the base is a rectangle, what do we call the pyramid?”
- “Which part decides the name: the faces or the base?”
Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)
- “How did you use evidence, not guessing, to choose your answer?”
Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges
- Challenge: Students confuse base and face.
- Tip: Physically point to the bottom and say: “Base = bottom shape. Name comes from base.”
- Challenge: Some students stay quiet.
- Tip: Use sentence stems: “I think it is ____ because ____.”.