Position and Direction - Position in the First Quadrant - Planning

In a Year 5 summer term lesson on Position and Direction, students focus on understanding the position in the first quadrant of a coordinate grid. The lesson begins with a starter activity where students recap their previous knowledge of coordinates, including identifying the x and y axes and understanding the importance of the order in which coordinates are written. The phrase 'Go along the corridor and up or down the stairs' is used as a mnemonic to help remember how to read coordinates. The class teaching input involves demonstrating how to plot a point on a grid by starting at the origin and moving along the x axis, then up the y axis to the correct location. Students then practice plotting coordinates on their own grids, with an emphasis on accuracy and partner checks.

Following the initial activities, students examine a triangle on the grid and discuss the coordinates of its vertices. This leads to independent work where children complete differentiated worksheets that challenge them to plot points and find the coordinates of various shapes' vertices. Throughout the lesson, key questions prompt students to think about the relationship between movements on the grid and changes in coordinate values. The plenary involves a reflective 'Give me five' activity where students consider what they've learned, the skills they've used, and any difficulties they encountered. The lesson is structured to cater to different levels of understanding, with tasks ranging from plotting three points and finding the coordinates of two shapes, to more complex activities involving plotting five points, finding coordinates, and adding vertices to form specific shapes such as rectangles and squares.