Expected level of development
Australian Curriculum Mathematics V9: AC9M2SP01
Numeracy Progression: Understanding geometric properties: P3
At Year 2 level, students develop their reasoning when comparing and classifying shapes by their attributes. They develop the spatial language to describe shapes.
Develop students’ spatial language and make explicit the component parts and properties of shapes. For example: a square has four equal sides and four corners; a rectangle has four straight sides, opposite sides are of an equal length and are parallel. Follow a similar approach when investigating other polygons.
Investigate shapes in the local environment.
Use digital tools such as interactive simulations and virtual geoboards to construct a range of shapes and explore their properties. Physical geoboards and elastic bands can also be used.
Teaching and learning summary:
- Provide physical materials to compare and classify 2D shapes.
- Explicitly teach and model how to describe key features of shapes.
- Use digital tools to explore shapes.
- Investigate geometric shapes in everyday life.
Please note: This site contains links to websites not controlled by the Australian Government or ESA. More information here.
Teaching strategies
A collection of evidence-based teaching strategies applicable to this topic. Note we have not included an exhaustive list and acknowledge that some strategies such as differentiation apply to all topics. The selected teaching strategies are suggested as particularly relevant, however you may decide to include other strategies as well.
-
Explicit teaching
Explicit teaching is about making the learning intentions and success criteria clear, with the teacher using examples and working though problems, setting relevant learning tasks and checking student understanding and providing feedback.
Go to resource -
Metacognitive strategies
Metacognitive skills are those that students need to be able to reflect on their own learning, set goals for themselves, monitor their progress and make improvements to move forward.
Go to resource -
Use metacognitive strategies to empower your students
Metacognitive strategies empower students to think about their own thinking.
Go to resource -
Worked examples
A worked example is not just a pre-worked question that is given to the students. There are several types of worked examples and ways of using them.
Go to resource -
Concrete, Representational, Abstract (CRA)
The CRA model is a three-phased approach where students move from concrete or virtual manipulatives, to making visual representations and on to using symbolic notation.
Go to resource -
Feedback
There are many different types of feedback that can be given to students. It has been shown that good feedback can make a significant difference to a student’s future performance.
Go to resource -
Culturally responsive pedagogies
Culturally responsive pedagogy is a form of teaching that incorporates learners’ cultural background and histories into classroom practice.
Go to resource
Teaching resources
A range of resources to support you to build your student's understanding of these concepts, their skills and procedures. The resources incorporate a variety of teaching strategies.
-
Shape search
Students identify a variety of four-sided shapes and describe the features of square, rectangle, rhombus and kite.
Go to resource -
Tracking triangles
Students identify a variety of three-sided shapes and describe the features of all triangles.
Go to resource -
Square dotty grid
Use this online interactive to create 2D shapes using a square grid.
Go to resource -
Isometric dotty grid
Use this online interactive to create 2D shapes using an isometric grid.
Go to resource -
Virtual geoboard
Use physical or virtual geoboards to explore shapes and describe their properties.
Go to resource -
reSolve: Reasoning with 2D Shapes
Explore shape properties and develop student skills in manipulating shapes using transformations.
Go to resource -
2D shapes and their features
A Year 1/2 teacher explores the language of 2D shapes and their features with her students.
Go to resource
Assessment
By the end of Year 2, students are comparing and classifying shapes, describing features using formal spatial terms.
-
3D shape – sort and classify
Students sort and classify a selection of 2D shapes and/or 3D objects, providing reasoning as to their classification.
Go to resource -
Categorisation
Use this task to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of properties of shapes and language they use when describing common features.
Go to resource