Pattern Square: Maths Tools Teachers’ Notes

Activities

1. Key Stage One
2. Lower Key Stage Two
3. Upper Key Stage Two

Key Stage One

Task One

Learning objective: recognise, find and name a half and a quarter as parts of a shape.

• Click on the ‘Options’ icon and set the grid to 10 squares.
• Ask the child to make a 4×4 square on the grid using red as a colour.
• Ask them to halve (divide by two) the square they have coloured red and then to show that number (8) using a contrasting colour. Point out that any 8 squares will do. The original red square has now been halved.
• Set up the original 4×4 red square again. Ask the child to find a quarter of the square now (divide by 4) and to show that number of squares (4) with another suitable colour. Any four squares will do. Point out that the new colour is now showing a quarter of the original square.
• Clear the grid and repeat the process, this time using a 7×4 blue rectangle as the starting point.
• Find a halve of the 28 squares (divide by 2) and use a different colour to show half of the shape (14 squares). Again any 14 squares will do.
• Clear the grid and set up the original blue rectangle again. This time find a quarter of the shape (divide by 4) and show a quarter of the shape (7 squares) using a different colour.
• Extend the activity by using shapes with a greater number of squares.