Year 6 lesson plan: Shape and Space
Year group:
Year 6
Resources:
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Interactive Whiteboard or whole-class computer screen display
Unit Planning Autumn Term Unit 8 ‘ Shape and Space: Reasoning about
Shapes: measures)
Unit Planning Autumn Term Unit 8 Resource Sheets
Interactive Teaching Programme - Polygons
Prepared spreadsheet ‘Properties of Quadrilaterals’
Database facility e.g. Information Workshop
PowerPoint presentation ‘Reveal the Quadrilateral’
Vocabulary:
quadrilateral, parallelogram, parallel, right angle, adjacent sides, irregular, lines of
symmetry
Oral and mental objectives (including reference to Framework):
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To classify quadrilaterals using side/angle properties – NNS Section 6 p. 103
Oral and mental activities (from Unit plans):
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With ‘Polygon’, have a parallelogram drawn on IWB. Hide.
Say to the children that you are thinking of a 2-D shape and want them to ask
questions to help them to guess what it is. Say that you can only answer ‘yes’
or‘no’.
As the children ask questions, write the properties they find on the board or
recorded by ‘scribe’ e.g. four sides, two pairs of parallel sides, four right
angles, opposite sides are the same lengths, all sides are the same lengths.
Play this game twice, once with reference to a parallelogram and then a
rectangle. Ensure that the children know that both these are quadrilaterals.
Also ensure that they are familiar with vocabulary such as parallel. Point out
this vocabulary.
Reveal quadrilateral on ‘Polygon’ and test properties noted using ruler and/or
protractor on IWB or computer screen.
Main teaching objectives (including reference to Framework):
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To classify quadrilaterals using side/angle properties – NNS Section 6 p.103
Name and begin to classify quadrilaterals, using criteria, such as parallel sides,
equal angles, equal sides, lines of symmetry.
Main teaching activities (from Unit plans):
Whole Class:
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Construct using ‘Polygon’ a parallelogram, rhombus, trapezium, kite, rectangle
and a square together with their names. Ask the children to describe each in turn
and as they do so record the properties, testing with protractor and ruler. Draw out
the vocabulary.
Point out that squares are regular quadrilaterals and
special/particular rectangles. (Unit planning Resource Sheet 8.1 can be used as a
reference)
N.B. this could be carried out either as a whole class or group activity depending
on whether single PCs or IWBs/Computer suite are available
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Ask the children to draw quadrilaterals on ‘Polygon’ according to certain
properties e.g.
- has opposite sides equal;
- one pair of parallel sides;
- one right angle;
- equal adjacent angles.
In each case ask children to name their quadrilateral.
Repeat using the following vocabulary – adjacent sides, irregular, lines of
symmetry.
Group Activities (including differentiation):
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Group A: In groups of 2-4, prepare database of quadrilaterals (assumes prior
working knowledge of Information Workshop and availability of PCs.)
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Group B: Fill in prepared spreadsheet ‘Properties of Quadrilaterals.’
On squared paper, draw an example of each named
quadrilateral .
Plenary:
 Hide a quadrilateral. Ask the children to guess what it is as you slowly reveal it.
Repeat with another quadrilateral if appropriate.
Q
What shape do I have here?
Q
How do you know?
Q
What shapes can’t it be?
Encourage the correct use of names and properties in all responses.
N.B.
If an IWB is available, PowerPoint Presentation ‘Reveal the Quadrilateral’ could
be used.