Studies of the area created by the squares of a set of pentominoes helps students understand the characteristics of two-dimensional objects.  Manipuilation of the blocks used to create the classic Soma Cube extend their understanding to three-dimensional configurations.  Faces, vertices, edges, surface area, volume, and symmetry are terms that are used freely during the activity and hopefully become a part of the students' working vocabulary.  

The challenge of various pentominoe and Soma Cube puzzles helps develop skills and spatial perception and visualization as individual pieces are rotated, flipped, and reflected across a plane in the mind's eye.