Max Maths, Year 4, Practice, Classifying shapes

In a Year 4 mathematics practice session on classifying shapes, students are encouraged to engage with the concept of categorisation using Carroll diagrams. The first task requires them to complete a diagram for two-dimensional shapes, with two criteria: whether the shape is regular (all sides and angles are equal) or not regular, and whether it contains at least one right angle or does not contain a right angle. Students must draw and name a 2D shape that fits into each category, thereby reinforcing their understanding of shape properties and the concept of regularity and angles in geometry.

The second task extends this classification skill to three-dimensional shapes. Here, the Carroll diagram is divided based on whether all faces of the shape are flat or not, and whether the number of faces is odd or not odd. Students must again draw and name a 3D shape that fits each of the four resulting categories. This exercise not only helps students distinguish between different types of 3D shapes but also integrates the mathematical concept of odd and even numbers in a practical context. Through these activities, students enhance their ability to recognise and describe the properties of both 2D and 3D shapes.