Properties of Shape - Quadrilaterals Decimals Activity - Planning

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson, the focus is on exploring the properties of quadrilaterals. The session begins with a small step starter to refresh the previous day's learning. The class then moves onto teaching input where the key vocabulary, including terms like 'vertices', 'sides', and 'polygon', is introduced with the help of visual aids and vocabulary cards. Through a series of activities, students are encouraged to identify and discuss the properties of different quadrilaterals. For example, they determine which shapes have four sides, straight sides, and closed sides, and recognise that quadrilaterals are two-dimensional shapes with vertices. The practical component of the lesson involves using a geoboard and elastic bands to create various quadrilaterals on different grid sizes, which helps in understanding the spatial properties of these shapes.

The lesson plan is structured to cater to different learning depths, from working towards the expected level to achieving greater depth. Each activity is designed to build upon the children's understanding of shape properties, with a focus on quadrilaterals. To reinforce learning, students are asked reflective questions where they can express what they have learnt, the skills they have used, and any difficulties they encountered. This reflection helps them to consolidate their knowledge and skills, such as grouping shapes and summarising their properties. The plenary session addresses common misconceptions, such as the confusion that may arise from different orientations or sizes of the shapes, ensuring that students recognise that these factors do not change the fundamental properties of the quadrilaterals.