2D Shapes Key Understandings

Students initially recognise shapes based on appearance, also known

as visualisation, when rst introduced to 2D shapes (Crowley, 1987).

Understanding that shapes are “carriers of properties” is essential

for building on geometric knowledge (Lehrer, Jenkins & Osana, 1998).

Understanding atypical representation (such as rotations and unequal

length of sides) are still the a classi ed shape as they contain the
properties of the shape (Horne, 2003)

Learning Progression: Geometric awareness begins through play and “rich and stimulating
instruction in geometry can be provided through playful activity (Van
Early Stages - Sequential
0. Beginner: Visualisation

At the initial stage, children will view 2D

as “total entities” rather than objects having Middle Stages - Developmental

attributes. They will be able to identify shapes 2. Informal Deduction
in everyday life as well as conventional Students can discuss relationships between geometric shapes
representations of shapes using physical without focusing on one particular shape and students re able to
models (Crowley, 1987).
classify shapes “using only a minimum set of de ning characteristics
1. Analysis (Van De Walle et al., 2019).

Students can sort shapes within a class such

as rectangles, triangles and circles and are
able to discuss di erent variations a singular Advanced Stages - Deduction and Rigour
shape may have using physical models and
3. Deduction
drawing (Van De Walle et al., 2019).

Students are able to give “deductive geometric proofs and

di erentiate between necessary and su cient conditions” when
identifying properties for geometric shape. Students are able to
Misconceptions: understand activities that are open ended as well as dealing with
1. Atypical Representations: abstract statements about shape properties (Vojkuvkova, 2012).

!"#$%&"'()*"%&(+,-%(".)#/0%(1$%&"1*21&3( 4. Rigour
,"2415,0(.%4.%'%&","1)&'(67('+,4%'8(4,."15#0,.02( Students are able to understand the way in which mathematical systems
are established and use all types of proofs (Vojkuvkova, 2012).**

"+,"()*(".1,&30%'($#%(")(%94)'#.%(")()&02(-%.2((
** This is not often encountered by primary aged students
4.)")"2415((4.%'%&","1)&'(()*(".1,&30%'(:;,.<%.8((
=5!>%%&%2(?(!+%%+,&8(@AABC(D1001,E'8(
@AAAFG(
2. Language Implications for teaching
H+10$.%&(,.%()*"%&(",#3+"(*,#0"2().(1&5)..%5"( Students should be shown di erent representations of shapes as
well as conventional representations in the primary visualisation stage
1&*).E,"1)&(>1"+1&("+%(%,.02(2%,.'(,/)#"(
of geometric learning (Horne, 2007).

'+,4%'G(I+1'(1'()*"%&($#%(")("+%(0,&3#,3%( Within the Visualisation stage (stage 0), students will attempt to compare
,$#0"'(>100(#'%($#.1&3("+%(-1'#,01',"1)&('",3%G( geometric shapes with everyday objects, try and follow these statement with
I+%(E)'"(5)EE)&(1'("+%(0,&3#,3%("+,"(>%(#'%( categorisation “it is a…/it is not a…” and sub in the name of a shape
(Vojkuvkova, 2012).

>+%&(50,''1*21&3('J#,.%'G(=)'"(5+10$.%&(0%,.&( Manipulatives and visualisation is a great tool to introduce composition and

")(50,''('J#,.%'(,&$(.%5",&30%'(,'('%4,.,"%( decomposition of shapes. Students experiment by trial and error creating
3%)E%".15,0('+,4%'($#%(")(1&1"1,0(1&'".#5"1)&().( tessellations or forming a shape with other shapes by using pattern blocks,
this is a good way to introduce students to the analysis level (Clements and
5)&-%.',"1)&G(:K).&%8(6LLMF(
Sarama, 2000)

Ensure correct language and ideas are being communicated in the early
stages of of geometric learning. This includes introducing squares as a special
Quadrilaterals ↓ type of rectangle from the initial stages of learning as well as communicating
from the early stages of learning that a diamond and star is not a mathematical
shape (Horne, 2003). Ensure the word kite is explicitly taught and used from
the visualisation stage as this is a shape students will be
familiar with in everyday life.

TRIANGLES ↑ Pattern blocks: A great way to create tessellation! Students

can see how to create a shape from other shapes!

References:
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@LGZAZ@Y"5EGTGUGLVU6
H.)>0%28(=G([G(:@AUBFG(I+%(-,&(+1%0%(E)$%0()*("+%($%-%0)4E%&"()*(3%)E%".15("+)#3+"GSI%,5+1&3(,&$([%,.&1&38(\W@6(](@AUB(O%,./))<
K).&%8(=G(:6LLMFG(;.)4%."1%'()*(!+,4%'8(Q&*).E1"(K#E,&1"1%'(?(!)51,0(!51%&5%'(H)00%5"1)&GS^#'".,01,&(;.1E,.2(=,"+%E,"15'(H0,''.))E8SU:6F8(UW@MG(+""4'XYY$)1G).3Y@LGMM@TY
1&*).E1"GVLU@MLM6MVT6TVV
Van de Walle, J., Karp, K., Bay-Williams, J., Brass, A., Bently, B., Ferguson, S., Go , W., Livy, S., Marshman, M., Martin, D., Pearn, C., Prodromou, T., Symons, D., & Wilkie,
K. (2019). Primary and Middle Years Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally. (1st ed.) Pearson.

_,&(K1%0%8(;G(:@AAAFG(7%-%0)41&3(R%)E%".15(I+1&<1&3("+.)#3+(^5"1-1"1%'(I+,"(`%31&(>1"+(;0,2GSI%,5+1&3(H+10$.%&(=,"+%E,"15'8SZ:TF8(M@LWM@TG(+""4'XYY$)1G).3Y@LGZAZ@Y"5EGZGTGLM@L
Vojkuvkova, I. (2012). The van Hiele Model of Geometric Thinking. WDS'12 Proceedings Of Contributed Papers, 1(1). Retrieved 19 September 2022, from https://www.mff.cuni.cz/veda/
konference/wds/proc/pdf12/WDS12_112_m8_Vojkuvkova.pdf
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