New
New
Year 4

Diagonal lines of symmetry

I can reflect shaded squares and polygons in a diagonal line of symmetry.

New
New
Year 4

Diagonal lines of symmetry

I can reflect shaded squares and polygons in a diagonal line of symmetry.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A line of symmetry does not have to be vertical or horizontal. You can reflect shapes in a diagonal line of symmetry.
  2. You can reflect a shape by counting the position of each vertex and making a mark, and then joining the marks.
  3. Each vertex of a shape will be the same distance from the line of symmetry when it is reflected.

Common misconception

Children may try to reflect in a diagonal line but not at a 45 degree angle, leading to inaccuracies when marking each vertex.

Encourage children to work horizontally and then vertically, rather than trying to reflect in a diagonal line. Explore how this can be done in either order, orienting the paper, and notice how the same point will still be marked on the grid.

Keywords

  • Line of symmetry - If you were to fold a shape on its line of symmetry, both halves would match exactly.

  • Mirror line - Mirror line is another term to describe the line of symmetry.

  • Reflect - When you reflect a shape, you flip it over a mirror line or line of symmetry without turning it or changing the size.

  • Reflection - The reflection of a shape is the mirror image of a shape.

Allow children access to mirrors during this lesson and encourage them to use the mirror to check their work each time they have reflected a vertex, a pattern or a shape.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these images shows a correct reflection?
a)
b)
Correct answer: c)
Q2.
Which of these images is not a correct reflection?
a)
Correct answer: b)
c)
Q3.
Before reflection, this shape was a trapezium. Now, it is a __________.
An image in a quiz
octagon
Correct answer: hexagon
pentagon
Q4.
Before reflection, this shape was a right-angled triangle. Now, it is __________.
An image in a quiz
an equilateral triangle
Correct answer: an isosceles triangle
a scalene triangle
Q5.
Here are triangles that have been reflected with one of the sides touching the line of symmetry. Name the shapes that have been made.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:a),triangle

triangle

Correct Answer:b),kite

kite

Correct Answer:c),parallelogram

parallelogram

Q6.
True or false. When you reflect a square that has a side that touches the mirror line, it will create a larger square.
An image in a quiz
True
Correct answer: False

6 Questions

Q1.
Match each mirror line with its correct direction.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:a),horizontal

horizontal

Correct Answer:b),vertical

vertical

Correct Answer:c),diagonal

diagonal

Q2.
Which image shows a correct reflection?
An image in a quiz
a)
b)
Correct answer: c)
Q3.
True or false. This shape has been correctly reflected in a diagonal line of symmetry.
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: True
False
Q4.
Which image shows a correct reflection?
a)
Correct answer: b)
c)
Q5.
Here are quadrilaterals that have been reflected with one of the sides touching the line of symmetry. Name the shapes that have been made.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:a),kite

kite

Correct Answer:b),trapezium

trapezium

Correct Answer:c),rectangle

rectangle

Q6.
This shape has been reflected in a diagonal line of symmetry. The new shape is __________.
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: an octagon
a hexagon
a quadrilateral