A museum-themed sorting task on shape classification for Year 4 maths. The museum's signs are mixed up, so pupils sort shape names, from scalene triangle to trapezium and kite, into triangles, quadrilaterals and other shapes. Two curator questions follow, asking which shape was hardest to place and for a new shape to add to each group. Model answers are included. Covers the England National Curriculum shape classification objective.
Geometry - properties of shapes
“Compare and classify geometric shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties and sizes”
Sorting by group forces pupils to reason from properties, not appearance.
Shape names including rhombus, isosceles triangle, trapezium and kite, sorted into triangles, quadrilaterals and other shapes.
Pupils explain their trickiest sort and add one new shape to each of the three groups.
Model answers with acceptance criteria for the open questions.
Main activity
The museum story frames a whole classification lesson.
Paired sort
Pupils can argue each shape into its group before writing.
Plenary
The trickiest-shape question makes a natural closing discussion.
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