Position and Direction - Describe Position - Planning

In the Year 4 summer term, the Position and Direction unit commences with a focus on describing positions using the concept of coordinates within the first quadrant. The National Curriculum objectives for this week include understanding and using coordinates to plot points and describe movements on a 2-D grid, as well as drawing sides to complete a given polygon. Key vocabulary such as 'axes', 'x-axis', 'y-axis', 'coordinates', 'first quadrant', 'vertex', and 'translate' are integral to the lessons. Students are provided with resources like worksheets, presentations, and practical tools like chalk or masking tape to create a large grid for hands-on learning.

The lesson starts with a recap of previous learning, where children are introduced to the concept of coordinates for the first time. They learn the order of reading coordinates—x-axis followed by y-axis—and the notation within brackets. Through a series of practical activities, children are encouraged to move to given coordinates on a grid and write coordinates for specific points. The lesson aims to solidify their understanding of coordinate plotting through partner discussions, reasoning exercises, and independent worksheet completion. Children are also prompted to reflect on what they've learned, the skills they've used, and what they found challenging. Differentiated tasks cater to varying levels of understanding, from writing one coordinate of plotted points to dealing with missing numbers on grids for those working at greater depth.