Math lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 30 minutes
Families of quadrilaterals: always, sometimes, never
Geometry
CCSS 5.G.B.3CCSS 5.G.B.4England: Y6 Geometry
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Families of quadrilaterals: always, sometimes, never.
- 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: Name quadrilaterals from their properties
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 (Name quadrilaterals from their properties). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which quadrilateral has exactly one pair of parallel sides? (trapezium (trapezoid) / rhombus / square / rectangle (not a square) / parallelogram) → trapezium (trapezoid)Prompt: Check parallel sides first, then right angles.
- How many pairs of parallel sides does a rectangle have? → 2Prompt: Parallel sides point the same way and never meet.
- Which quadrilateral has two pairs of parallel sides and no right angles, with neighbouring sides of different lengths? (trapezium (trapezoid) / rhombus / square / rectangle (not a square) / parallelogram) → parallelogramPrompt: Check parallel sides first, then right angles.
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: Families of quadrilaterals: always, sometimes, never. 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: True or false? Every trapezium has two pairs of parallel sides.
- Step 1: false
- Answer: false
- 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.
- True or false? Every rhombus is a parallelogram. (true / false) → truePrompt: List the properties each shape must have.
- Always, sometimes or never true? A square has four right angles. (always / sometimes / never) → alwaysPrompt: Try to draw an example where it is true, and one where it is false.
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.
- True or false? Every parallelogram is a rectangle. (true / false) → falsePrompt: List the properties each shape must have.
- Always, sometimes or never true? A rectangle has exactly one pair of parallel sides. (always / sometimes / never) → neverPrompt: Try to draw an example where it is true, and one where it is false.
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: Name quadrilaterals from their properties.
- 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-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder