Max Maths, Year 3, Try it, Sorting according to two criteria using Venn diagram

In this activity from the Max Maths Year 3 curriculum, students are challenged to sort shapes according to two distinct criteria using a Venn diagram. The task is designed to enhance the pupils' understanding of classification and properties of shapes. The set labels provided for the Venn diagram are 'Blue shapes' and 'Rectangles'. Students must examine a variety of shapes and determine which of them fit into each category. The Venn diagram will have an area where shapes that are both blue and rectangles will overlap, while other sections will house shapes that are only blue or only rectangles.

The activity encourages critical thinking as students analyse each shape to ascertain its characteristics. They will need to identify the shapes that are blue in colour, irrespective of their form, and place them in the corresponding section of the diagram. Similarly, they will need to recognise all the rectangles, which may come in various colours, and sort them accordingly. The central overlapping area of the Venn diagram is where students will place shapes that meet both criteria – being both blue and rectangular. This exercise not only reinforces the understanding of shape properties but also introduces the concept of sorting and classifying based on multiple attributes.