Outdoor Maths Shape and Angles Activities

Aim

Making shapes and different angles and exploring them outdoors, really helps children to remember key properties and use the vocabulary associated with them. Classifying shapes; exploring standard and non-standard shapes; sorting them according to their attributes, by considering what is the same (equivalence) and what is different (transformation); helps children further cement their understanding.

Snapshot Shapes

This activity can be used for 2-D shapes, polygons, identifying different types of triangles, 3-D shapes, right angles, other angles, etc, depending on what you are focusing on.

You will need: Digital cameras.

· Challenge them to find as many of the focus shapes as possible around the classroom, in the school, outside in the school grounds, etc.

· The children take photos of all they can find e.g. drain covers, paving stones, manhole covers, windows, etc.

· Back in the classroom use the pictures to create presentations to share with the rest of the class.

· The photos can be printed and children label the shapes describing the properties with mathematical language.

· The pictures could be used as a photo trail eg find this place / shape, using other groups’ pictures.

Variation:

· You could provide a list of shapes / angles for the children to find, or a prompt sheet could be given to support children finding the shapes / angles.

· Tessellation: Discuss what tessellation is. Ask the children to find as many tessellating patterns as they can within the school grounds, in windows, walls, the playground etc. and take photos of them. Can they create their own tessellating patterns?

Natural Shapes

· The outdoor environment provides plenty of natural materials for children to make shapes and to make their own puzzles. How many triangles can you see?

· How many triangles can children make using just 9 similar length sticks? Can they create the same amount of triangles with less sticks?

· Ask the children to use sticks to create shapes following the criteria you set (or they set themselves) eg, has 3 sides, one side is 2 sticks long etc.

· Variation: using chalk ask the children to identify and label the different angles, parallel lines, perpendicular lines etc in their shapes.

· Tape and string and sticks can be used by children to make 3-D shapes. Can they name the 2-D shapes hiding in the 3-D shapes?

· Set the children challenges eg Which group can make the biggest den with just twelve one metre sticks or bamboo canes? Which is the most popular shape and why? Which shape fits the largest number of children inside?

Raccoon Circles or Rope Shapes

· Raccoon circles are circles of flat tape. We use a special type of tape that is kinder to your hands, the circle is created with a water knot.

· Rope or ribbon can also be used for making shapes, with properties labelled using mathematical language.

· You will need: a rope, ribbon or raccoon circle tied into a circle eg 3m long.

· You can direct children to make particular shapes eg make an isosceles triangle, make an irregular pentagon etc.

· Throw your rope or ribbon into the air and let it land. What mathematical properties can you identify?

Variation:

· Challenge small groups of blindfolded children to create a range of 2D shapes from a length of rope.

https://www.ltl.org.uk/resources/rope-shapes

For other general Raccoon Circle activities and ideas see http://www.teamworkandteamplay.com/resources/new_rc_document_2011_final.pdf

Raccoon Rectangles – Calculating Perimeter and Area

· Children use the Raccoon tape to form a rectangle or square and then place it carefully on the ground over a grid (eg 100 square or paved area).

· Children check their shape meets the properties of a square or rectangle and adjust accordingly.

· Children then calculate the area and perimeter of their rectangle. Can the grid help them? How? (Useful to line the tape up with the lines of the grid and count the squares).

· If no grid is available, children can use rulers or non-standard measures. If they use their feet as non-standard measures, what would the unit of measurement be?

Body Shapes

· Children can explore making 2 -D shapes or different angles with their bodies.

· Use your whole body to consolidate angle and shape knowledge:

https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resource/play-all-the-angles/

Stick Angles

· Use sticks can to make right angles and other angles.

· eg one child makes the right angles in a shape / pattern, and a partner has to identify how many there are and where they are etc.

Tricky Triangles

You will need: cards with description of the properties of different triangles. (eg two sides equal and two equal angles – isosceles)

· Children are given a property card.

· In groups or pairs, they use sticks (or could use raccoon circle webbing) to make the triangle which matches the properties.

Variation: This activity could work using properties of other 2D shapes.

Angles and Shapes

This is a good activity for children to create shapes and see the scaling up of shapes, with the angles remaining the same size.

You will need: tent pegs, string, compasses and protractors.

· In the classroom, using squared paper ask the children to draw a shape, note the angles at each corner and how many squares are on each side of it.

· Go outside and try to recreate these shapes using tent pegs and string. A square on the paper = one step on the floor.

Use a protractor or compass to measure the angles at the corners and place the tent pegs there, finish by wrapping the string around to create the

Find the Property

You will need: A4 cards with some shape or angle names or properties on them, depending what your focus is: eg has a right angle, has a curved edge, obtuse angle, etc.

· Spread the cards out around the playground.

· Show or say the name of a shape and the children have to run to a card with a property that the shape has / angle is, eg a square, a cone, an angle of 160o etc.

· This provides an opportunity for you to ask: how do they know that? As well as being able to identify any misconceptions.

Websites:

· 2-D to 3-D Shapes.

https://www.ltl.org.uk/resources/2d-to-3d-shapes

· Outdoor Maths Shape Activities from Creative Star

https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/c/maths-outdoors

· Outdoor Maths: Looking at Different Angles in Nature from Creative Star

https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/maths-outdoors/outdoor-maths-looking-at-different-angles-in-nature

· Rope Shapes - blindfolded children create 2-D shapes from a length of rope.

https://www.ltl.org.uk/resources/rope-shapes

· Shape Hunt Task Cards - children go outside to make the different shapes by following the requirements on the cards.

https://www.educateoutside.com/resource/shape-hunt

· Simple Shapes Task Cards - children make different shapes by following the requirements on the task cards.

https://www.educateoutside.com/resource/shape-hunt/

· Sustainable Shapes - Outdoor shape fun for KS1!

https://www.sustainablelearning.com/resource/sustainable-shapes

· Wild About Learning Teacher’s Pack p26-30: How to make a 3D polygon minibeast home.

http://www.wildforestschool.org.uk/wild-about-learning

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