Year 1 - Maths
Giving directions and describing turns
Position and direction including fractions of turns
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils will describe position direction and movement including whole half quarter and three-quarter turns. 
Lesson Summary
You will learn to give directions including left and right turns, and recognise whole, half and quarter turns.
Key Notes
- Turns can be described using quarter, half and whole turns.
- Turns can be made to the right and left.
- Quarter turns to the left and right can be used to give directions.
- When you make a whole turn, you will end facing the same way you started.
- When you make a half turn, you will end facing the opposite way to where you started.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Whole turn: A rotation that completes a full circle or 360 degrees.
- Half turn: A rotation that completes half of a circle or 180 degrees.
- Quarter turn: A rotation that completes a quarter of a circle or 90 degrees.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Children may confuse left and right turns when someone else, whose orientation is different from their own, is making a turn.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Solve this in steps: explain the method from this lesson and why each step matters.
Turns can be described using quarter, half and whole turns. Turns can be made to the right and left.
2. Use this key word in a maths sentence and explain it clearly. 'Whole turn'
A rotation that completes a full circle or 360 degrees. Use this word when showing your method, then check your final answer is reasonable.
3. Spot and fix this common maths mistake.
Mistake: Children may confuse left and right turns when someone else, whose orientation is different from their own, is making a turn. Correction: Encourage children to move themselves into the same orientation as the person whose turn they are trying to describe so that they can use their own left and right to help see which directions someone else is turning.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 1 Maths guide library.