Properties of Shape - Turns and Angles - Planning

In the Year 4 summer term, students embark on an educational journey through the 'Properties of Shape' unit, focusing on turns and angles. The curriculum objectives set the stage for identifying and comparing acute and obtuse angles, classifying geometric shapes such as quadrilaterals and triangles, and recognising lines of symmetry. Key vocabulary terms include angle-related concepts such as 'obtuse', 'acute', and 'right angle', as well as shape classification terms like 'quadrilateral', 'triangle', and 'symmetry'. The hands-on lesson begins with a practical exercise where children use PE equipment and cardinal direction labels to make quarter, half, three-quarter, and whole turns, both clockwise and anti-clockwise. This activity helps to reinforce their understanding of fractions and time, using physical movements to illustrate turns and directions.

The lesson advances with an 'angle hunt' around the classroom, where students identify angles in real-life contexts, enhancing their ability to recognise angles in various settings. This is followed by a series of activities designed to develop fluency in recognising turns and directions, using their arms or mini clocks to demonstrate the movements. An important aspect of the lesson is the understanding that an angle is created when two straight lines meet at a point, a concept that is reiterated through group discussions and reasoning exercises. The lesson is structured to cater to different learning levels, from those working towards the expected level to those ready for greater depth, with activities tailored to challenge and develop each student's understanding of turns, angles, and directions. Key questions prompt students to think about the outcomes of specific turns and the relationship between angles and time, addressing common misconceptions and solidifying the dynamic nature of angles.