Reception Maths: Naming flat shapes
Part of the Reception Maths shapes and position chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Naming flat shapes
Ella is looking for shapes in her classroom. She finds a clock, a table top and a star sticker.
Flat shapes are called 2-D shapes. Some shapes are round, like a circle. Others have straight sides, like a triangle, a square or a rectangle. A star has points.
Key ideas
- A circle is round, with no corners.
- A triangle has three straight sides.
- A square has four equal sides.
- A rectangle has four sides, with two long and two short.
- A star has points.
Key words. A circle is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It is round with no corners.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is circle.
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Key words. A triangle is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It has three straight sides.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is triangle.
- Write the answer. triangle
Check. Point to the triangle in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Key words. A rectangle is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It has four sides, two long and two short.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is rectangle.
- Write the answer. rectangle
Check. Point to the rectangle in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Watch out
Watch out: a square and a rectangle both have four sides. A square has all four sides the same length.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Go on a shape hunt in the house. Ask: “Is it round? Does it have straight sides?” Find a circle, a triangle and a square.
Exercise 7A Naming flat shapes
Non-calculatorKey words. A circle is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It is round with no corners.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is circle.
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the circle in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Key words. A square is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It has four sides, all the same length.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is square.
- Write the answer. square
Check. Point to the square in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Key words. A triangle is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It has three straight sides.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is triangle.
- Write the answer. triangle
Check. Point to the triangle in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Key words. A rectangle is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It has four sides, two long and two short.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is rectangle.
- Write the answer. rectangle
Check. Point to the rectangle in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Key words. A star is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It has points all around it.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is star.
- Write the answer. star
Check. Point to the star in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Method. Look for the shape with no straight sides.
- Look at a. It has straight sides.triangle
- Look at b. It is round, with no corners.circle
- Look at c. It has straight sides and corners.square
- Write the answer. circle
Check. Point to the round shape and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round shapes have no straight sides.
Method. Count the straight sides on each shape.
- Look at a. It has four sides.4 sides
- Look at b. It has no straight sides.no sides
- Look at c. It has three straight sides.3 sides
- Write the answer. triangle
Check. Count the sides of c: 1, 2, 3. ✓
Watch out. Count the sides, not the corners.
Method. Think about a wheel.
- Look at a wheel. It is round.round
- Find the name. A round flat shape is a circle.circle
- Write the answer. circle
Check. A circle is round all the way round. ✓
Watch out. A wheel and a coin are both circles.
Method. Compare a star with a circle.
- Look at a star. It has points.points
- Look at a circle. It is round with no points.round
- Write the answer. No. A star has points, and a circle is round.
Check. The star and the circle look different. ✓
Watch out. A circle has no points or corners.
Key words. A square is a shape with its own name.
Method. Look at the shape. Think about its sides and corners, or whether it is round.
- Look at the shape. Notice whether it is round or has straight sides.It has four equal sides.
- Find its name. Each shape has its own name.The name is square.
- Write the answer. square
Check. Point to the square in the picture and say its name. ✓
Watch out. Round means no straight sides. Straight sides and corners mean a shape with a name like square.
Method. Think about the sides of a triangle.
- Count the straight sides. A triangle has three.1, 2, 3
- Check there are no curves. A triangle has no round parts.no curves
- Write the answer. Accept any answer: it has three straight sides.
Check. Count the sides: 3 straight sides. ✓
Watch out. A triangle always has three straight sides.
Method. A shape with no corners is round.
- Think about corners. Corners are points where sides meet.no corners
- Name the round shape. A round shape with no corners is a circle.circle
- Write the answer. circle
Check. A circle has no corners. ✓
Watch out. Circles are curved all the way round.