Math lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 30 minutes
Lengths, perimeters and areas from coordinates
Geometry
CCSS 6.G.A.3CCSS 6.NS.C.8England: KS3 Geometry and measures
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Lengths, perimeters and areas from coordinates.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Coordinates in all four quadrants; Distance between two integers
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Rulers and protractors, Squared or dotted paper, Shape cut-outs, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Coordinates in all four quadrants; Distance between two integers). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a photo of a building, a tile pattern or a road sign and ask what shapes and angles students can spot.
- Share the objective: Lengths, perimeters and areas from coordinates. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Point A is (4, −3). Point B is directly below A, 9 units away. What are the coordinates of B? Type them like (2, −3).
- Step 1: −3 − 9 = −12
- Step 2: (4, −12)
- Answer: (4, −12)
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Point A is (−3, −4). Point B is directly below A, 7 units away. What are the coordinates of B? Type them like (2, −3). → (−3, −11)Prompt: Moving straight up or down changes only the y-coordinate.
- Point A is (−7, −1). Point B is directly below A, 7 units away. What are the coordinates of B? Type them like (2, −3). → (−7, −8)Prompt: Moving straight up or down changes only the y-coordinate.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Point A is (−1, −8). Point B is directly below A, 6 units away. What are the coordinates of B? Type them like (2, −3). → (−1, −14)Prompt: Moving straight up or down changes only the y-coordinate.
- Point A is (4, −3). Point B is directly below A, 9 units away. What are the coordinates of B? Type them like (2, −3). → (4, −12)Prompt: Moving straight up or down changes only the y-coordinate.
Watch out for
- Thinking a square turned on its corner is no longer a square.
- Reading the wrong scale on a protractor.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Coordinates in all four quadrants.
- Use concrete materials: rulers and protractors.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-6.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder