Math lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 60 minutes
Classify triangles by their sides
Geometry
CCSS 5.G.B.4England: Y6 Geometry
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Classify triangles by their sides.
- 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 triangles by their angles
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 · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Classify triangles by their angles). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Noah says: "Every triangle has at least two acute angles." True or false? (true / false) → truePrompt: The angles of a triangle add up to 180°.
- Ravi says: "A right-angled triangle can also be isosceles." True or false? (true / false) → truePrompt: The angles of a triangle add up to 180°.
- Sam says: "A right-angled triangle can also be isosceles." True or false? (true / false) → truePrompt: The angles of a triangle add up to 180°.
Hook · 6 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: Classify triangles by their sides. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: An equilateral triangle has a perimeter of 24 cm. How long is each side?
- Step 1: 24 ÷ 3 = 8
- Step 2: 8 cm
- Answer: 8
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- An isosceles triangle has two sides of 14 cm and a base of 13 cm. What is its perimeter? → 41Prompt: Two sides are the same length.
- An equilateral triangle has a perimeter of 36 cm. How long is each side? → 12Prompt: All three sides are equal.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- An equilateral triangle has a perimeter of 39 cm. How long is each side? → 13Prompt: All three sides are equal.
- An isosceles triangle has two sides of 6 cm and a base of 11 cm. What is its perimeter? → 23Prompt: Two sides are the same length.
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 triangles by their angles.
- 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