Drawing 3D Shapes

Net Drawings

Isometric Drawings

Elevation Drawings

Isometric and Elevation Drawings of 3D Shapes

Prerequisite Knowledge

• draw 2-D shapes and make 3-D shapes using modelling materials; recognise 3-D shapes in different orientations and describe them
• compare and classify geometric shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties and sizes

Success Criteria

• identify properties of the faces, surfaces, edges and vertices of: cubes, cuboids, prisms, cylinders, pyramids, cones and spheres
• construct and interpret plans and elevations of 3D shapes.

Key Concepts

• Students need to understand the geometrical difference between a prism and pyramid.
• Horizontal lines are not drawn on isometric paper.
• Students need to sketch a solid from elevation drawings and vice-a-versa

Common Misconceptions

• Students often get confused which elevation to draw and how to include hidden detail.
• Some students find it difficult to draw 3D shapes on isometric paper.  Encourage the use of multilink cubes to aid drawings.