Year 2 Teaching Sequence summer D6 – Using lists, tables and diagrams to sort shapes (two days)
Prerequisites:
 Begin to use lists, tables and diagrams to sort objects; explain choices using appropriate language, including ‘not’ (see
teaching sequence D4)
 Visualise common 2D shapes, identify from pictures in different positions and orientations (see teaching sequence S6
and oral and mental starter bank D6)
 Sort, make and describe 2D shapes, referring to their properties (see teaching sequence S6)
 Recognise that a right angle is a quarter turn (see teaching sequence S6)
Overview of progression:
Children sort irregular and regular 2D shapes into triangles, pentagons and hexagons. Shapes are also sorted according to
whether or not they have at least one right angle. Chn guess how shapes are sorted and suggest their own criteria for
sorting them.
Note that this sequence follows on from Teaching sequence S6 about 2D shapes and right angles.
Note that pairs of headings in Carroll diagrams are mutually exclusive (the opposite of one another), thus using the word
‘not’. This means that all objects will be in one column or the other.
Watch out for children who only recognise regular pentagons and hexagons, equilateral triangles as triangles, or only
recognise triangles, squares and rectangles sitting on one side. In this sequence they meet a range of pentagons and
hexagons in order to clarify what makes a shape a pentagon or hexagon.
© Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Maths TS_D6 – Sum – 2days
Objectives:
 Use lists, tables and diagrams to sort objects; explain choices using appropriate language, including ‘not’
Whole class
Group activities
Paired/indiv practice
Resources
 Hoops and
labels as
opposite
 ‘Dotty’ paper
(spots
arranged as on
a geoboard)
 Activity sheet
of 2D shapes
(see resources)
 Scissor and
glue sticks
Ask chn to choose to draw a shape with three, five
or six sides on their whiteboards. They must draw
it so that the sides aren’t the same length! Label
three hoops ‘triangles’, ‘pentagons’ and ‘hexagons’.
Chn swap boards with a partner who must place it
in the correct hoop. What makes a hexagon a
hexagon?
Chn retrieve their boards. Challenge them to draw
the oddest looking hexagons that they can! Share
some of these with the whole class. Include
concave examples (or draw one), e.g.
Group of 4-5 children
Ask chn to draw as many different
looking pentagons as they can on ‘dotty
paper’ and then to cut them out.
Together sort them into those which
have right angles and those which do
not.
Easier: Ask chn to draw three-sided,
four-sided, five-sided and six sided
shapes and then sort them into
‘pentagons’ and ‘not pentagons’.
Chn cut out a range of 2D shapes
(see Activity sheet) and sort
them using the following diagram:
Is a hexagon
Is not a
hexagon
Draw a range of 2D shapes on the IWB such as the
following:
Group of 4-5 children
Show chn a range of plastic 2D shapes.
How could we sort these into two sets
so that every shape can go into one or
the other set? Draw out using the
language of ‘not’, so shapes can only be
in one set or the other.
Try out different suggestions.
Easier/Harder: Chn will need more or
less help with suggestions according to
their attainment in this area.
Chn cut out a range of 2D shapes
(see Activity sheet) and sort
them using the following Carroll
diagram:
Has at least
Has no right
one right
angles
angle
Start to sort them by dragging them into two sets,
regular and irregular, but not telling the chn how
you are doing this. How do you think I’m sorting
Harder: Chn draw two extra
shapes in each column.
 Activity sheet
of 2D shapes
(as session one)
 Scissor and
glue sticks
 Angle checkers
made in
teaching
sequence S6
They can use their angle checkers
made in teaching sequence S6 to
help.
© Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Maths TS_D6 – Sum – 2days
these shapes? Point to a shape you have not yet
sorted. Where do you think I’ll put this shape?
Why? Draw out that the shapes in one set all have
sides of the same length, but the others do not.
Remind chn that these are called regular and
irregular shapes.
Look at the regular shapes. How could I sort
these? (Has a right angle does not have a right
angle.) Sort both sets according to the same. We
have sorted these shapes in two ways at once. Add
labels to show chn the resulting Carroll diagram.
Harder: Chn sort the shapes into
those which are hexagons and
those which are not. They then
tick all those shapes with right
angles and place the shapes in the
following Carroll diagram:
Has at
Has no
least one right
right
angles
angle
Is a
hexagon
Is not a
hexagon
© Original teaching sequence copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Maths TS_D6 – Sum – 2days