1. Shape Symmetry and 2-D shapes Objectives Day 1
Recognise symmetry and complete symmetrical drawings
Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns
Day 2
Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes
Draw different polygons; identify their properties
Day 3
Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes using diagrams
Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams
Before teaching, be aware that:
On Day 1 children will need mini-whiteboards and pens. You will need BBC Symmetry clip*: finding-lines-of-symmetry/zktfgwx , ‘Symmetrical patterns’ sheet 1 (see resources)
On Day 2 children will need mini-whiteboards and pens. You will need feely bag, a selection of 2-D shapes (regular and irregular), large 50p and 20p coins, whiteboards and pens, ‘Pentagons, hexagons and octagons’ sheet (see resources)
On Day 3 children will need mini-whiteboards and pens. You will need sorting hoops, ‘Triangles’ sheet 1 (see resources)
Year 3/4

2. Shape Symmetry and 2-D shapes Short Mental Workouts Day 1
Lines of symmetry
Day 2
2-D shapes
Day 3
The short activities suggested here do not have to be done at the beginning of your maths lesson - they are suitable for doing at any time of the day to provide ongoing revision of important mental and oral skills.
While there probably isn’t time during your maths lesson for these activities, it is crucial to regularly revisit the skills used. If you decide to use them – perhaps at the beginning of the day for ‘morning maths’, as you line up for lunch, or as a ‘brain-break’ during the afternoon - it might be useful to drag and drop the relevant slide or slides below to that day’s teaching.
Year 3/4

3. Shape Symmetry and 2-D shapes Short Mental Workout Lines of symmetry
To use this activity, drag this slide to the start of Day 1
Draw a square, and then draw a vertical line of symmetry on the square. If we put a mirror along this line, it would show the other half of the shape. Draw a square on your whiteboard with a line of symmetry in a different place. Share whiteboards with horizontal and diagonal lines of symmetry. Cut out a paper square and fold the square along the lines of symmetry to confirm.
Year 3/4

4. Shape Symmetry and 2-D shapes Short Mental Workout
Feely bag 2-D shapes
To use this activity, drag this slide to the start of Day 2
Hide a 2-D shape in a feely bag. Give children three clues about it, describing particular properties. Children draw the shape and show their whiteboards. Reveal the shape to confirm. Repeat, but with a child taking your role. Include regular and irregular pentagons, hexagons and octagons. Encourage children to use the correct vocabulary.
Year 3/4

5. Shape Symmetry and 2-D shapes Short Mental Workout
Odd one out 2-D shapes
To use this activity, drag this slide to the start of Day 3
Play ‘Odd one out’. Give four children one shape each where one shape is the ‘odd one out’, e.g. square, equilateral triangle, regular hexagon and rectangle. Which is the odd one out? Write the name of the shape on your whiteboard. Why? (The rectangle is the only shape that isn’t regular). Repeat with other shapes, e.g. semi-circle, rectangle, octagon and pentagon.
Year 3/4

6. Shape Symmetry and 2-D shapes Objectives Day 1
Recognise symmetry and complete symmetrical drawings
Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns
Year 3/4

7. Start by watching this VIDEO CLIP
Day 1: Recognise symmetry and complete symmetrical drawings; Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns
Start by watching this VIDEO CLIP
about symmetry.
Teaching with Y3 and Y4
Begin by watching the BBC clip. It is about a boy who has to karate chop his way through the line of symmetry of different objects!
Pause the video towards the end and reiterate the questions.
Year 3/4

8. Day 1: Recognise symmetry and complete symmetrical drawings; Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns
Talk to your partner about these challenges. Write your answers on whiteboards.
Find shapes with 1 line of symmetry.
Which ones have no lines of symmetry?
Find the shapes with 2 or more lines of symmetry.
Provide a range of 2-D shapes for the children to choose from. Hear children’s answers and discuss any misconceptions.
One of the shapes has
8 lines of symmetry. Which one is it and where are the lines of symmetry?
Year 3/4

9. Day 1: Recognise symmetry and complete symmetrical drawings; Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns
Lines of symmetry on a 2-D shape divide the shape so it looks exactly the same on either side of the line.
Establish a definition for a ‘line of symmetry’ and write on a poster/ the working wall.
*If access to the link suggested is not possible, you might try one of the following: Reflection Symmetry, Symmetry Matching, Symmetry Sorting, Interactive geoboard.
Y3 children can now go on to do differentiated GROUP ACTIVITIES. You can find Hamilton’s group activities in this unit’s TEACHING AND GROUP ACTIVITIES download.
WT: Fold a picture along a line of symmetry. Complete symmetrical pictures.
ARE/GD: Children draw one half of a picture for a partner to complete symmetrically. Begin to explore shapes with two lines of symmetry.
Year 3/4

10. The Practice Sheet on this slide is suitable for most Y3 children.
Differentiated PRACTICE WORKSHEETS are available on Hamilton’s website in this unit’s PROCEDURAL FLUENCY box.
WT/ARE/GD: Identify symmetry on drawings and complete symmetrical drawings – Sheet 1
Year 3/4

11. What do we mean by a line of symmetry?
Day 1: Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns.
It is an imaginary line along which we can fold the pattern so that it is exactly the same in both halves.
What do we mean by a line of symmetry?
Further teaching for Year 4
Only one half of each pattern is drawn. We are going to draw the other half so that it is entirely symmetrical.
The black line is a line of symmetry in these two patterns.
Year 3/4

12. What strategies did you use?
Day 1: Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns.
What strategies did you use?
You could count the squares away from the line of symmetry.
Invite children to the board to begin to shade the other half of each pattern, until it is clear that they understand the concept. Discuss strategies.
You could look at patterns in each row or column.
Year 3/4

13. What strategies did you use for this one?
Day 1: Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns.
What strategies did you use for this one?
Y4 children can now go on to do differentiated GROUP ACTIVITIES. You can find Hamilton’s group activities in this unit’s TEACHING AND GROUP ACTIVITIES download.
WT/ARE/GD: Create symmetrical patterns across one or two lines of symmetry.
Year 3/4

14. The Practice Sheet on this slide is suitable for most Y4 children.
Differentiated PRACTICE WORKSHEETS are available on Hamilton’s website in this unit’s PROCEDURAL FLUENCY box.
WT: Complete symmetry patterns on squared grids (horizontal & vertical lines of symm. only) - Sheet 2
ARE/GD: Complete symmetry patterns on squared grids (some diagonal lines of symm.) - Sheet 3
Year 3/4

15. Shape Symmetry and 2-D shapes Objectives Day 2
Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes
Draw different polygons; identify their properties
Year 3/4

16. How many sides has a 50p piece?
Day 2: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes; Draw different polygons; identify their properties.
A closed shape with 7 straight sides and 7 vertices is called a heptagon.
How many sides has a 50p piece?
Can you think of another coin with 7 sides and 7 vertices?
The shapes we are going to draw today will have straight sides only!
The sides on a 50p coin and on this 20p are very slightly curved and the corners are rounded.
Teaching with Y3 and Y4
Year 3/4

17. All 7 sides are the same length and all angles are the same size.
Day 2: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes; Draw different polygons; identify their properties.
This is a
regular heptagon.
All 7 sides are the same length and all angles are the same size.
Draw your own irregular heptagon on your whiteboard.
Try to make it look different from your neighbour’s.
Year 3/4

18. Describe your heptagon to your partner…
Day 2: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes; Draw different polygons; identify their properties.
Describe your heptagon to your partner…
Share some of children's shapes on their whiteboards and their descriptions.
Y4 children can now go on to do differentiated GROUP ACTIVITIES. You can find Hamilton’s group activities in this unit’s TEACHING AND GROUP ACTIVITIES download.
WT/ARE/GD: Identify the properties of polygons and use their properties to sort them.
WT/ARE/GD: Draw 2-D shapes based on given properties.
Does it have any right angles, obtuse or acute angles or lines of symmetry?
Year 3/4

19. The Practice Sheet on this slide is suitable for most Y4 children.
Differentiated PRACTICE WORKSHEETS are available on Hamilton’s website in this unit’s PROCEDURAL FLUENCY box.
WT/ARE: Properties of regular and irregular polygons: Draw a shape to match each description - Sheet 2
GD: Properties of regular and irregular polygons: Draw a shape to match each description - Sheet 3
Year 3/4

20. Day 2: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes.
It has 4 sides.
The sides are all the same length.
It has 4 right angles.
It has 4 lines of symmetry.
It is a polygon because it has all straight sides.
Further teaching for Year 3
Model how to carefully describe the shape.
What is this shape called?
Year 3/4

21. Day 2: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes.
These are all regular shapes.
Regular shapes have sides of the same length and angles the same size.
Hold up a regular pentagon, hexagon and octagon. Explain that regular shapes have sides of the same length and angles the same size.
Year 3/4

22. Day 2: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes.
Describe your shape to your partner. Can they guess your shape? You have 30 seconds!
Choose a shape and draw around it on your whiteboard.
Jot down how you would describe your shape.
Now swap around!
Year 3/4

23. What mathematical language did we use to describe the shapes…?
Day 2: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes.
What mathematical language did we use to describe the shapes…?
Write down the key words and display them on a poster/ working wall for children to refer back to.
Year 3/4

24. Let’s have a go at naming each shape…
Day 2: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes.
Let’s have a go at naming each shape…
These are all polygons, but are irregular shapes as the sides of each are not the same length.
Y3 children can now go on to do differentiated GROUP ACTIVITIES. You can find Hamilton’s group activities in this unit’s TEACHING AND GROUP ACTIVITIES download.
WT/ARE/GD: Sort 2-D shapes in a Venn diagram according to children’s criteria.
Year 3/4

25. The Practice Sheet on this slide is suitable for most Y3 children.
Differentiated PRACTICE WORKSHEETS are available on Hamilton’s website in this unit’s PROCEDURAL FLUENCY box.
WT/ARE/GD: Find and describe the odd one out of sets of shapes - Sheet 1
Challenge
Year 3/4

26. Shape Symmetry and 2-D shapes Objectives Day 3
Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes using diagrams
Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams
Year 3/4

27. Describe this shape to your partner.
Day 3: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes using diagrams; Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams.
And this one.
Now describe this one.
Describe this shape to your partner.
Teaching with Y3 and Y4
Take feedback, including which are symmetrical and which are not, the number of sides and corners.
Year 3/4

28. Day 3: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes using diagrams; Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams. 6 2
Which ones have ‘square corners’?
Count the right angles in each shape.
Remember that these are called right angles.
Year 3/4

29. hexagon pentagon octagon
Day 3: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes using diagrams; Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams.
hexagon
pentagon
What are they?
Agree that the first is a hexagon, the second a pentagon and the third an octagon.
octagon
Year 3/4

30. Where should each shape go?
Day 3: Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes using diagrams; Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams.
Where should each shape go?
Y3 children can now go on to do differentiated GROUP ACTIVITIES. You can find Hamilton’s group activities in this unit’s TEACHING AND GROUP ACTIVITIES download.
WT/ARE/GD: Children sort 2-D shapes into a Venn diagram according to two criteria.
Year 3/4

31. The Practice Sheet on this and the next slide are suitable for most Y3 children.
Differentiated PRACTICE WORKSHEETS are available on Hamilton’s website in this unit’s PROCEDURAL FLUENCY box.
WT/ARE/GD: Sort 2-D shapes (Sheets 1 & 2)
Year 3/4

32. The Practice Sheet on this and the previous slide are suitable for most Y3 children.
Differentiated PRACTICE WORKSHEETS are available on Hamilton’s website in this unit’s PROCEDURAL FLUENCY box.
WT/ARE/GD: Sort 2-D shapes (Sheets 1 & 2)
Year 3/4

33. Day 3: Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams.
What were the similarities and differences we found with these triangles?
It is an equilateral triangle.
Triangle 1 is isosceles, 2 sides are the same length and it is symmetrical. Which other triangles are isosceles?
Triangle 5 has no equal sides, right angles or symmetry, we call it a scalene triangle.
Triangles 3 and 4 are isosceles. Describe a difference between them…
Further teaching for Year 4
Fold a paper copies to show lines of symmetry.
Triangle 2 has 3 equal sides and 3 lines of symmetry, what is it called?
Triangle 3 has a right angle!
Year 3/4

34. Day 3: Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams.
Draw your own scalene triangle on your whiteboard.
Children share their scalene triangles.
Remember: it must have no equal sides, right angles or symmetry.
Year 3/4

35. How could we sort these triangles into two sets?
Day 3: Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams.
How could we sort these triangles into two sets?
Move the triangles according to children’s suggestions, e.g. those with right angles/ those without, those which are symmetrical/ those which are not.
Year 3/4

36. isosceles equilateral scalene angle side vertices vertex
Day 3: Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams.
isosceles
equilateral
scalene
angle
side
Display key vocabulary for children to refer to and use during group activities.
Y4 children can now go on to do differentiated GROUP ACTIVITIES. You can find Hamilton’s group activities in this unit’s TEACHING AND GROUP ACTIVITIES download.
WT: Identify right angles and other properties in triangles. Classify triangles.
ARE/GD: Identify right angles and other properties in triangles. Classify triangles.
vertices
vertex
Year 3/4

37. The Practice Sheet on this slide is suitable for most Y4 children.
Differentiated PRACTICE WORKSHEETS are available on Hamilton’s website in this unit’s PROCEDURAL FLUENCY box.
WT: Classify and describe triangles Sheet 3
ARE/GD: Classify and describe triangles Sheet 4
Year 3/4

38. Well Done! You’ve completed this unit.
Shape
Symmetry and 2-D shapes
Well Done! You’ve completed this unit.
Objectives
Day 1
Recognise symmetry and complete symmetrical drawings
Recognise symmetry in a variety of diagrams; draw symmetrical patterns
Day 2
Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes
Draw different polygons; identify their properties
Day 3
Describe, name and sort 2-D shapes using diagrams
Identify properties of triangles and sort them using diagrams
You can now use the Mastery: Reasoning and Problem-Solving questions to assess children’s success across this unit. Go to the next slides.
Year 3/4

39. Problem solving and reasoning questions
Year 3
Draw a 2-D shape with at least 1 curved side and 2 lines of symmetry.
How many lines of symmetry in a regular pentagon?
Can you draw a…
• 4-sided shape with exactly 2 right angles?
• Hexagon with every side a different length?
• Regular octagon?
Draw a ring around any
regular polygons:
Year 3/4

40. Problem solving and reasoning answers (1 of 2)
Year 3
Draw a 2-D shape with at least 1 curved side
and 2 lines of symmetry. e.g.
How many lines of symmetry in a regular pentagon? 5
These go from each of the 5 vertices to the mid-point of the opposite side.
Can you draw a…
• 4-sided shape with exactly 2 right angles? Yes, various possibilities, e.g.
• Hexagon with every side a different length? Yes, various possibilities, check.
• Regular octagon? Yes, all sides and angles should be equal.
Year 3/4

41. Problem solving and reasoning answers (2 of 2)
Year 3
Draw a ring around any regular polygons:
Note that a circle and an oblong are NOT regular polygons. A circle because it does not have straight sides and an oblong because the sides are not all the same length.
Another misconception is to think that shapes with symmetry – e.g. the isosceles triangle – are regular polygons.
The rhombus has all sides the same length, but its angles are not all the same size.
Year 3/4

42. Problem solving and reasoning questions
Year 4
How many lines of symmetry in a regular pentagon? Hexagon? Heptagon? Make a generalisation based on your answer.
Draw triangles to match each description:
- With a right angle and the shortest side is 3cm.
- Two sides and two angles are equal.
- No equal angles; one side twice as long as one other side.
Make as many generalisations as you
can about this collection of shapes:
Year 3/4

43. Problem solving and reasoning answers
Year 4
How many lines of symmetry in a regular pentagon? Hexagon? Heptagon? Make a generalisation based on your answer. 5, 6 and 7 respectively. The number of lines of symmetry in a regular polygon is equal to the number of sides.
Draw triangles to match each description:
- With a right angle and the shortest side is 3cm.
- Two sides and two angles are equal.
No equal angles; one side twice as long as one other side.
Check children’s drawings. Accurate drawings should be completed using a sharp pencil and ruler. Can children name the triangles? They are, respectively: a right angled, an isosceles and a scalene triangle.
Make as many generalisations as you can about this collection of shapes:
They are all triangles; each has 3 straight sides and 3 angles; the angles in each total 180°; they each have at least 1 line of symmetry; they have at least 2 equal angles.
Year 3/4