Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
icon-background-square
New
New
Year 8

Checking compass skills

I can confidently use a pair of compasses to draw circles and arcs.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
icon-background-square
New
New
Year 8

Checking compass skills

I can confidently use a pair of compasses to draw circles and arcs.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
View new resources
arrow-right

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A pair of compasses can be used to draw any circle.
  2. A pair of compasses can be used to draw circle with a particular radius.
  3. A pair of compasses can be used to draw part of a circle.

Keywords

  • Pair of compasses - A pair of compasses is a tool which can be used to draw circles and arcs. A pair of compasses is sometimes referred to just as a compass.

Common misconception

When drawing circles, pupils may find that the start and end of their arcs do not join together.

This can be caused by the pair of compasses opening or closing mid-drawing. Hold it with one hand and rest the pencil gently on the page.

For this lesson, pupils will need a pair of compasses, pencil, ruler and several sheets of plain paper.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
copyright

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).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
A is a shape such that every point on the circumference is equidistant to its centre.
Correct Answer: circle
Q2.
Which is the definition of a radius?
Correct answer: any line segment that joins the centre of a circle to its edge
any line segment that joins one edge of a circle with another
the furthest distance from one side of a circle to another
the perimeter of a circle
Q3.
In which image is the circumference labelled with a question mark?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q4.
The ruler measures in cm. How long is the radius of the circle?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: 3.5 cm
7 cm
7$$\pi$$ cm
Q5.
Which shapes can not be a circle?
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q6.
The diameter of a circle is 12 cm. Its radius is cm.
Correct Answer: 6, six, 6cm, 6 cm

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
The image shows a pencil inside a pair of .
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: compasses
Q2.
When drawing a circle with a pair of compasses, where is the needle once the circle is complete?
an arc of the circle
Correct answer: at the centre of the circle
on the circumference of the circle
part way across the radius of the circle
Q3.
An of a circle is part of the circle’s circumference.
Correct Answer: arc
Q4.
Which one of these images is not a correct way to hold a pair of compasses while drawing a circle or arc?
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q5.
Which part of a circle can be drawn by using a pair of compasses and rotating the pencil around the needle?
Correct answer: an arc
a diameter
a radius
Q6.
Aisha is about to use the pair of compasses to draw a circle. Which statement will be true, once it is drawn?
An image in a quiz
The circumference will be 10 cm.
The diameter will be 10 cm.
Correct answer: The radius will be 10 cm.