Properties of shape - Sort 2D shapes - Planning

In the second week of the Year 2 Geometry curriculum, students embark on an engaging journey to understand and categorise 2D shapes. The lesson begins with a small step starter, prompting children to utilise their previous knowledge on shape properties. The class teaching input involves a variety of resources, including differentiated sheets, teaching slides, and practical tools like scissors, glue, and sorting hoops. A large laminated Venn diagram and cards for labels are also employed to facilitate learning. The key vocabulary for this lesson encompasses terms such as 'rectangle', 'circle', 'square', 'hexagon', 'pentagon', 'octagon', 'sides', 'vertices', 'sort', 'group', 'curved', 'straight', 'symmetry', and 'Venn Diagram'. These terms are crucial in aiding children to accurately sort 2D shapes and understand their characteristics.

During the lesson, children engage in partner work and group activities that encourage discussion and critical thinking. They are tasked with sorting a variety of 2D shapes using sorting hoops and are introduced to the concept of Venn diagrams to classify shapes with shared attributes. The lesson also includes practical work where children explore different criteria for grouping shapes and use a blank laminated table to sort them accordingly. In addition to the hands-on activities, there are reasoning and problem-solving exercises that challenge students to order shapes by the number of vertices or sides. The lesson concludes with a reflection on the skills used and knowledge gained, with differentiated worksheets provided to cater to varying levels of achievement, from working towards expected levels to greater depth. This structured approach ensures that students not only learn to differentiate between regular and irregular shapes but also articulate their reasoning behind the sorting process.