A bird flying over your house sees things in a special way. We call it a bird's-eye view: looking straight down from above.
Key idea
From above, you see only the top of each thing. A table looks like a rectangle. A tree looks like a round green circle.
Why it works
When you look straight down, the top of a thing is closest to you, so it covers up everything underneath. The legs of a table and the trunk of a tree hide under their tops.
Worked example: A cup from above
What does a cup look like from above?
- From the side, a cup is tall, with a handle.
- From above, you look down into it.
- You see the round rim and the drink inside, and the handle sticking out.
Answer: A circle with a little handle on one side.
Common mistake
It is easy to pick the picture that looks like the side view. Ask: if I were a bird looking down, which part would I see first? Usually it is the top.
For the grown-up. Put a few things from the kitchen on the floor: a plate, a cup, a bowl. Let your child look down from a chair and trace their outlines on paper. Round things make circles; boxes make rectangles.