Measuring angles with a protractor

A complete lesson on how to use a protractor properly. Includes lots of large, clear, animated examples that make this fiddly topic a lot easier to teach. Designed to come after pupils have been introduced to acute, obtuse and reflex angles and they can already estimate angles.

Activities included:

Starter:
A nice set of problems where pupils have to judge whether given angles on a grid are acute, 90 degrees or obtuse.
The angles are all very close or equal to 90 degrees, so pupils have to come up with a way (using the gridlines) to decide.

Main:

• An extended set of examples, intended to be used as mini whiteboard questions, where an angle is shown and then a large protractor is animated, leaving pupils to read off the scale and write down the angle. The range of examples includes measuring all angle types using either the outer or inner scale. It also includes examples of subtle ‘problem’ questions like the answer being between two dashes on the protractor’s scale or the lines of the angle being too short to accurately read off the protractor’s scale. These are all animated to a high standard and should help pupils avoid developing any misconceptions about how to use a protractor.
• Three short worksheets of questions for pupils to consolidate. The first is simple angle measuring, with accurate answers provided. The second and third offer more practice but also offer a deeper purpose - see the cover image.
• Instructions for a game for pupils to play in pairs, basically drawing random lines to make an angle, both estimating the angle, then measuring to see who was closer.

Plenary:
A spot the mistake animated question to address misconceptions.

As always, printable worksheets and answers included.

Please do review if you buy, the feedback is appreciated!