Explore, discuss and identify shapes that are and are not rectangles

I can say if a shape is a rectangle or not and explain why.

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Year 1

Explore, discuss and identify shapes that are and are not rectangles

I can say if a shape is a rectangle or not and explain why.

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Share activities with pupils

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Lesson details

Key learning points

Rectangles have 4 straight sides.
Rectangles have 4 vertices that are all the same. They are square corners.
A square is a special type of rectangle with all sides the same length.
An oblong is a rectangle with 4 sides that are not all equal.

Keywords

Rectangle - A 2D shape with 4 sides and 4 vertices that are all the same.
Square - A special type of rectangle with 4 equal sides.
Sides - The edges of a shape.
Vertices - The corners of a shape.
Straight - A line or surface with no curves.

Common misconception

Children may not see that a shape can have two different names e.g. a square is also a rectangle.

Use sorting hoops to sort rectangles and not rectangles. Then use a smaller hoop inside the 'rectangles' hoop to help identify the squares.

The concept of right angles will be taught in KS2. At this stage, they are referred to as square corners to support children's understanding of rectangles. Children should explore the idea that the 4 vertices on a rectangle are always the same.

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).