Supporting your child in learning about shape and space

Aims of the evening:

• To explain the progression in learning about shape and space in the primary school and the vocabulary used.

• To explain the links between shape and space and reasoning and communicating.

• To suggest ways of helping and supporting your child with maths at home.

Vocabulary

parallel prismperpendicular polygonoblong pentagontrapezium quadrilateralpyramid spherecuboidtetrahedronhemisphere

Can you put these shape words in the order you think they are taught, from Yr R to Y6?

Vocabulary

R - pyramid sphere

1 - cuboid 2 - pentagon3 - quadrilateral

prism hemisphere

4 - oblong polygon tetrahedron

5 - parallel

perpendicular6 - trapezium

Key terms

• sides• corners

• faces• edges• vertices

Overlap with other areas of mathematics

• Fractions

• The language of position and direction

• Data handling – sorting

• Number patterns

Shape work is often connected to number pattern

What shapes can you see?How many of each?

What vocabulary did you use to discuss the pattern?

What do children do with shapes?

• Explore them – roll, stack…

• Make patterns/nets• Build models• Describe• Name/identify/recognise• Visualise• Sort• Turn them

• Reflect (flip) them • Draw/construct• Complete• Compare• Classify• Reason

Practical handling, discussion, mental work, drawing.

A simple sort

trianglessquares

More complex sorting – Venn diagram

hexagon not a hexagon

regular

irregular

Carroll diagram

QuadrilateralsNo right angles

1 right angle

2 right angles

3 right angles

4 right angles

No parallel lines

1 pair of parallel lines

2 pairs of parallel lines

Which is the odd one out?

What do children use in school to explore shape and space?

Helping your child

• Relate it to the real world as much as possible

• Talk, listen, model, recast

• Ask questions

• Be curious and fascinated

• Use a dictionary