Solve problems involving position, direction and rotation | Maths

Starter quiz

The robot is on the ______ of the ball.

'right' ✓
To reach his milkshake, Pedro needs to move backwards 2 squares and then 1 square to his __________.

left ✓

right
Jun is facing the tree. He makes a quarter turn anticlockwise. Now he is facing the __________.

tree

house

church

slide ✓
How could you complete this sentence so that it is correct? When you make a half turn …

you will end up facing the same way you started.

you will end up facing the opposite way to where you started. ✓

you will end up facing a different way if you turn clockwise or anticlockwise.

you will end up facing the same way if you turn clockwise or anticlockwise. ✓
How could you complete these directions so that Pedro can reach his milkshake? Make a quarter turn anticlockwise. Go forwards 1 square...

make a quarter turn anticlockwise. Go forwards 2 squares. ✓

make a three-quarter turn clockwise. Go forwards 2 squares. ✓

make a quarter turn clockwise. Go forwards 2 squares.

make a half turn anticlockwise. Go forwards 2 squares.
Complete the directions to help Pedro reach his milkshake. Pedro makes a half turn. He should take one step to his ______ and then go forwards 2 squares.

'right' ✓

Exit quiz

Which coin will Jun collect if he follows these directions? Move forwards 1 square. Move 1 square to your left.

5 pence

10 pence

1 pence ✓
Complete the directions for Jun to collect the 5 pence coin. Move backwards 1 square. Move 1 square to your ______.

'right' ✓
Which toys will Jun collect if he follows these directions? Move forwards 1 square. Move 3 squares to your left. Make a half turn. Move forwards 3 squares.

dragon ✓

bear ✓

robot

unicorn
Which toy will Jun collect if he follows these directions? Make a quarter turn anticlockwise. Move 1 square to your left. Move forwards 3 squares.

dragon

bear

robot ✓

unicorn
Izzy has a computer game that can draw lines when she gives it directions. She used her game to draw a rectangle. Which directions did she give?

a)

b) ✓
Izzy wants to complete her drawing of a hexagon. Which directions could she give?

Make a quarter turn anticlockwise. Move forwards 2 dots. ✓

Make a quarter turn clockwise. Move forwards 2 dots.

Make a three-quarter turn clockwise. Move forwards 2 dots. ✓

Make a three-quarter turn anticlockwise. Move forwards 2 dots.

Worksheet

Loading worksheet ...

Presentation

Loading presentation ...

Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

Directions can include quarter, half, three quarter and full turns.
Turns can be described as clockwise or anticlockwise.
Directions can include forwards, backwards, left and right.
Direction is dependent on the way the person is facing.

Common misconception

Children can find it difficult to identify someone else's left and right if they are facing a different direction to them.

Encourage children to orient themselves so they are facing the same way as the person they are identifying the left or right side of. Experience in different ways that when someone is opposite you, their left side is the opposite side to your left.

Keywords

Directions - A set of instructions to tell someone which way to go.