A crucial part of Year 4 shape work is to recognise that an angle is a measurement of turn and using this to compare and order angles.

Children should already recognise and know the terms acute, right angle and obtuse angle. They also need to be able to explain that a right angle is larger than any acute angle and that an obtuse angle is larger than any right angle. Understanding that a right angle is a quarter of a whole turn is the key to this.

At this stage comparing angles will be done visually, as measuring angle using a protractor is not introduced until Year 5. It is fairly easy to distinguish between the three types of angle, but more tricky when comparing two acute angles, or two obtuse angles. Reflex angles are also introduced in Year 5.

Our latest set of pages is all about comparing angles; well worth a look.