Math lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes
Name quadrilaterals from their properties
Geometry
CCSS 4.G.A.2England: Y4 GeometryEngland: Y5 Geometry
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Name quadrilaterals from their properties.
- 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: Classify quadrilaterals; Parallel and perpendicular lines
Leads to: Families of quadrilaterals: always, sometimes, never
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 (Classify quadrilaterals; Parallel and perpendicular lines). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- A quadrilateral has exactly one pair of parallel sides. What is it? (rectangle / rhombus / square / trapezoid (trapezium)) → trapezoid (trapezium)Prompt: Check the sides: are they equal? Are any parallel?
- On Diego's map, two straight roads never meet, however far they go. What are such lines called? (parallel / perpendicular / intersecting (not perpendicular)) → parallelPrompt: Parallel lines are like train tracks.
- True or false? A trapezoid always has two pairs of parallel sides. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Think about what the definition of each shape needs.
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: Name quadrilaterals from their properties. 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: Which quadrilateral has four right angles but two pairs of different-length sides?
- Step 1: rectangle (not a square)
- Answer: rectangle (not a square)
- 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.
- 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 rhombus have? → 2Prompt: Parallel sides point the same way and never meet.
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.
- Which quadrilateral has four right angles but two pairs of different-length sides? (trapezium (trapezoid) / rhombus / square / rectangle (not a square) / parallelogram) → rectangle (not a square)Prompt: Check parallel sides first, then right angles.
- How many pairs of parallel sides does a trapezium (trapezoid) have? → 1Prompt: Parallel sides point the same way and never meet.
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: Classify quadrilaterals.
- 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
- Move on to: Families of quadrilaterals: always, sometimes, never.
- 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-4.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder