Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 5

Layers and objects

I can recognise that vector drawings consist of layers of objects

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 5

Layers and objects

I can recognise that vector drawings consist of layers of objects

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

View new resources

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Each object added to a vector drawing is added in a new layer
  2. The order of layers in a vector drawing can be changed
  3. Layering can be used to create new images

Keywords

  • Layer - a level in your drawing where objects sit on top or behind each other

  • Object - a shape or line that you can move and change in your drawing

  • Order - the front-to-back position of objects in a drawing

Common misconception

Objects cannot be reordered on the page.

Each object added is a new layer and the layers can be reordered.


To help you plan your year 5 computing lesson on: Layers and objects, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Layering can be a tricky concept — use physical resources (like transparent plastic sheets or shape cut-outs) to model how each object stacks on top of the last.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Access to a drawing package such as https://oak.link/google-drawings

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What does the zoom tool help you do?
Change the size of objects in a drawing
Rotate objects in a drawing
Correct answer: Make the view closer or further away without changing the size of objects
Add a border to a shape
Q2.
What is the purpose of alignment grids?
To add colour to objects
Correct answer: To line up objects neatly
To change the size of objects
To remove objects from a drawing
Q3.
What can you do with resize handles?
Correct answer: Change the size of objects
Change the colour of objects
Add a border to objects
Remove objects from a drawing
Q4.
What does the border of a shape refer to?
The colour inside the shape
The alignment of the shape
The size of the shape
Correct answer: The line around the outside of the shape
Q5.
Arrange the steps to modify an object in a drawing:
1 - Select the object
2 - Use resize handles or tools to adjust it
3 - Save the changes
Q6.
What happens when you modify an object?
Correct answer: You change an object
You delete the object
You create a new object
You align the object

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the term for a level in a drawing where objects sit on top or behind each other?
Correct Answer: layer, layers, a layer
Q2.
What happens when you add a new object to a vector drawing?
It replaces the existing objects
It changes the order of all layers
It removes the previous layer
Correct answer: It creates a new layer
Q3.
Which of the following is an option for arranging the order of layers in a vector drawing?
Copy to clipboard
Delete layer
Correct answer: Send to back
Add border
Q4.
What happens when you reorder layers in a vector drawing?
The objects on the layers are deleted
Correct answer: The objects on the layers change their front-to-back position
The objects on the layers merge into one
The objects on the layers become locked
Q5.
What happens if you move a layer to the top of the stack?
Correct answer: The object on that layer will appear in front of others
The object on that layer will be deleted
The object on that layer will shrink
The object on that layer will disappear
Q6.
What is the purpose of layering in a vector drawing?
To delete unnecessary objects
To lock objects in place
To change the size of objects
Correct answer: To create new images by organising objects