Sentence Stems And Vocabulary Lists | Geometry

Create a common mathematical language between all pupils and staff with these geometry sentence stems and vocabulary lists.

Secure and deepen pupils’ understanding of geometry with all of the appropriate vocabulary and sentence stems you need for Years 1 to 6 in one central place.

Display the geometry vocabulary lists on your working wall or place them in pupil's books at the start of a topic to encourage accurate mathematical vocabulary.

Use these geometry sentence stems in class to help pupils vocalise their mathematical thinking. Alternatively, send them home to help pupils complete their place value homework and encourage mathematical conversations outside the classroom.

Sentence stems can be a whole sentence, for example: 10 ones are equal to one ten. Alternatively, they can have missing parts that can be filled for flexible use, for example: The number that comes before (number) is (number). This can be completed using 1-digit numbers (The number before 5 is 4.) or with larger numbers (The number before 1,000,000 is 999,999.)

Each set of sentence stems is carefully designed to reflect when each geometry concept is introduced in our whole class teaching resource, Ready-To-Go lessons (aligned to White Rose version 3).

Teachers understand the importance of using consistent and mathematically correct language while also reducing cognitive load. Providing pupils with a sentence stem frame to build upon helps pupils focus on understanding the mathematical concept while using the correct mathematical language.

Geometry sentence stems and vocabulary

• Year 1: Naming and recognising shapes, sorting shapes, shape patterns, the language of turns and position.

• Year 2: Properties of 2-D shapes, understanding symmetry, properties of 3-D shapes, the language of movement.

• Year 3: Understanding angles, drawing and measuring lines, different types of lines, 2-D and 3-D shape properties.

• Year 4: Understanding angle types, properties of 2-D shapes, understanding coordinates and translating.

• Year 5: Understanding angle types, measuring angles, using protractors and understanding reflection.

• Year 6: Understanding vertically opposite angles, identifying angles within a shape and understanding circles.