Properties of Shape - Calculate Lengths and Angles in Shapes - Planning

In a practical and engaging mathematics lesson aimed at Year 5 students, the focus is on calculating lengths and angles within various shapes. The lesson begins with a recap of previous learning, where children refresh their understanding of right angles and their fractions, such as recognising that half of a right angle is 45 degrees. The class then examines squares and rectangles to identify their similarities and differences, such as the number of right angles and the properties of their sides. A practical activity involves children cutting out shapes to explore these concepts hands-on, enhancing their ability to notice and verbalise the properties of lengths and angles in each shape.

The lesson progresses with an interactive task where children manipulate paper triangles to investigate the size of angles and what occurs when these triangles are combined to form new shapes. This hands-on approach allows students to apply their knowledge of straight lines and angles to deduce the measurements within the shapes. The session includes independent work with differentiated worksheets to cater to varying levels of understanding, from recognising basic similarities and differences to tackling more complex calculations involving rectangles and squares. Throughout the lesson, key questions prompt critical thinking, and a plenary session encourages students to reflect on the skills they've used, such as addition and subtraction, and the new facts they've learned about angles. The lesson aims to solidify students' understanding of geometric properties and their ability to calculate angles through practical exploration and reasoning.