Geometric thinking

This means students will be able to identify plane (flat) shapes in objects and structures around them and consider why the given shape is suitable for its purpose, for example wheels are circular so they roll freely, floors are usually rectangles because they are easier to build and things fit efficiently, etc. They should consider how three dimensional objects are built from flat shapes through pulling packets apart and constructing solids of their own, for example nets for cubes.

This means students will sort objects by selecting an attribute or attributes by which to classify items and allocating the items into groups by commonality of that attribute. At Level Two students should be able to find their own system to classify items, using attributes like shape, colour, size, texture, thickness, material, purpose, etc and justify their allocation of items into categories, for example "all of these shapes have three sides".

This means students will physically carry out translations, reflections, and rotations on shapes and discuss what patterns they see. Translations are shifts of a shape along a line, for example repeating a potato print across the top border of a page. Reflections are images of a shape as though it is reflected in a mirror. Rotations are turns, so when an object is turned about a point, either inside or outside of itself, the image is a rotation of the original shape. At level one rotations can be described as fractions of a full turn, for example half and quarter turns.

This means students will describe their position using positional language such as next to, in front of, behind, between, to the right/left and simple diagrams and maps. Their descriptions should become increasingly precise in terms of distance from the landmark (in steps) and location of that landmark on simple schematic maps.

This means students will be able to follow instructions given in distances, for example 14 steps; direction, for example facing the library; and angle (turn), for example do a half turn clockwise (right). They should become proficient at following a series of instructions. Students should also be able to give instructions.

This means students will classify or sort objects by their characteristics. These characteristics include shape, size, colour, texture, weight, and temperature. Students should be able to justify why they have sorted objects in the way they have and be encouraged to develop increasingly sophisticated classifications such as shape and size.