Math lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes
Quarter, half and three-quarter turns both ways
Geometry
England: Y2 GeometryEngland: Y3 Geometry
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Quarter, half and three-quarter turns both ways.
- 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: Position and direction
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 (Position and direction). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- A robot faces north. It makes a half turn clockwise. Which way does it face now? (north / east / south / west) → southPrompt: Clockwise goes north → east → south → west.
- In a row, from left to right: pear, apple, strawberry, banana, grapes. What is just to the left of the strawberry? (strawberry / banana / grapes / apple) → applePrompt: Find the strawberry first.
- A robot faces west. It makes a half turn clockwise. Which way does it face now? (north / east / south / west) → eastPrompt: Clockwise goes north → east → south → west.
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: Quarter, half and three-quarter turns both ways. 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: A robot faces west. It makes a three-quarter turn anticlockwise (counter-clockwise). Which way does it face now?
- Step 1: 3 quarter turns anticlockwise from west gives north.
- Answer: north
- 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.
- A robot faces north. It makes a quarter turn anticlockwise (counter-clockwise). Which way does it face now? (north / east / south / west) → westPrompt: Anticlockwise goes north → west → south → east.
- How many half turns make a full turn? → 2Prompt: Stand up and turn a quarter at a time.
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.
- How many quarter turns make a half turn? → 2Prompt: Stand up and turn a quarter at a time.
- A robot faces east. It makes a half turn anticlockwise (counter-clockwise). Which way does it face now? (north / east / south / west) → westPrompt: Anticlockwise goes north → west → south → east.
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: Position and direction.
- 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-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder