Turn language
The amount of turn changes how far the arrow moves.
1 right angle
2 right angles
3 right angles
Each bigger turn adds another right angle.
Year 2
Use mathematical vocabulary to describe position, direction and movement, including rotation as a turn and in terms of right angles for quarter, half, three-quarter and whole turns
Describe movement using turn language such as quarter, half, three-quarter and whole turn.
Lesson overview
Geometry - position and direction
Rotation means turning around a point. A quarter turn is one right angle. A half turn is two right angles. A three-quarter turn is three right angles. A whole turn takes you back to the starting direction.
A whole turn
A whole turn ends in the same direction as the start.
facing up
facing the same way again
A full turn goes all the way around.
Clockwise and anticlockwise
The direction of the turn matters too.
turn the same way as clock hands
round to the right
turn the opposite way
round to the left
Use turn size and turn direction together.
Worked example
If an arrow makes a half turn, how far has it turned?
2 right angles
- Remember that a quarter turn is one right angle.
- A half turn is two quarter turns.
- So a half turn is two right angles.
- It points in the opposite direction from where it started.
Try it
Think about how many right angles are in the turn before choosing the answer.
Question 1
Which turn is 1 right angle?
1 right angle
Question 2
Which turn is 2 right angles?
2 right angles
Question 3
Which turn ends facing the same direction as the start?
same direction again
Question 4
How many right angles are in a three-quarter turn?
3 right angles
Question 5
Which word means turning the opposite way to clock hands?
same way as clock hands
opposite way
Common mistakes
Watch for these when working through the lesson.
- Mixing up quarter turn and half turn.
- Forgetting that a whole turn ends facing the same direction.
- Using the size of the turn but not the direction word.
Related topics
These ideas fit closely with this lesson.
- Order and arrange combinations of mathematical objects in patterns and sequences.
- Tell and write the time to five minutes, including quarter past and quarter to the hour, and draw the hands on a clock face to show these times.