AC9M1SP01 • Year 1 Maths
Shapes and objects can be compared and classified using observable features such as sides, corners, faces, curves and flat surfaces.
Shapes and objects can be compared and classified using observable features such as sides, corners, faces, curves and flat surfaces.
Learning routine: Make → Name features → Compare → Classify → Explain
Use shape features to explain your group.
Real objects may look like familiar shapes but also have 3D features.
Explain your thinking: Say what each part of the model represents, then explain why the answer or conclusion follows.
Classify shapes by their features rather than size, colour or orientation.
A square card is turned so that one corner points upward. Is it still a square?
Watch for this mistake: A shape's name does not change just because it is turned or coloured differently. Use its sides and corners as evidence.
A closed flat shape has three straight sides. What shape is it?
Count the sides all the way round.
A triangle.
How are a circle and a triangle different? Give a feature of each.
Compare their boundaries and corners.
A circle has a curved boundary and no corners. A triangle has three straight sides and three corners.
These curriculum examples extend the central model into varied contexts. They are learning contexts, not extra definitions to memorise.
classifying a collection of shapes, including different circles, ovals, regular and irregular shapes, triangles and quadrilaterals, saying what is the same about the shapes in a group and what is different between the groups
Try and explain: A group contains triangles of different sizes, colours and orientations. Which feature keeps them in the same group?
Each has three straight sides and three corners. Size, colour and turning do not change that classification.
selecting a shape from a small collection of shapes inside a bag and describing the shape by feel, so that others can name the shape and give reasons for their choice
Try and explain: A flat shape in a bag has a curved boundary and no corners. Could those clues alone distinguish a circle from an oval?
No. Both can fit those clues. More information is needed, such as whether it is stretched in one direction.
comparing the different objects that can be built out of the same number of blocks or centi-cubes and discussing the differences between them
Try and explain: Arrange four cubes in a tower, then rearrange them in a row. What stays the same and what changes?
There are still four cubes. The arrangement, overall height and overall length change.
exploring string games used in story telling by First Nations Australians; for example, Karda from the Yandruwandha Peoples of north-east South Australia, recognising, comparing, describing and classifying the shapes made by the string and their relationship to shapes and objects on Country/Place
Cultural safety: Use a community-approved source, name the specific Nation or community where the source does, and avoid presenting diverse First Nations knowledges as one generic tradition. Follow local cultural and intellectual property protocols before inviting community participation.
Make a shape with sticks or paper and name its features.
Model: 3 sticks → triangle
Sort shapes by sides, corners, curves or faces.
Model: curved / not curved
Find familiar shapes in the room and explain the match.
Model: door → rectangle
Key idea: Shapes and objects can be compared and classified using observable features such as sides, corners, faces, curves and flat surfaces.
Return to the concept model if an answer is uncertain. Use the model to explain, not just to guess.
AC9M1SP01: make, compare and classify familiar shapes; recognise familiar shapes and objects in the environment, identifying the similarities and differences between them
Use the Practice Sheet for written or hands-on work, Practice for supported feedback, and Test when the student is ready to demonstrate independent mastery.
The SkillrHub lesson remains the primary learning resource. This optional video reinforces the explanation; you can complete the lesson and practice without watching.
Before you watch:
Scratch Garden — Sort familiar two-dimensional shapes by their properties.
As you watch: Try sorting by shape instead of colour. Which features help you decide?
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Try it: Draw a triangle in two different sizes and directions. Explain why both are triangles.
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Mapped skill: make, compare and classify familiar shapes; recognise familiar shapes and objects in the environment, identifying the similarities and differences between them
These references identify matching or closely related learning. Curriculum sequence, terminology and depth vary, so teachers should use the mapped skill and lesson difficulty to confirm suitability.
| Region | Curriculum framework | Closest level or code |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australian Curriculum v9.0 | AC9M1SP01 · Year 1 |
| Victoria | Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 — Mathematics | VC2M1SP01 · Level 1 |
| New South Wales | NSW Mathematics K–10 Syllabus (2022) | MA1-2DS-01 + MA1-3DS-01 · Stage 1 |
| United States (USA) | Common Core State Standards for Mathematics | Grade 1 |
| Canada (Ontario) | Ontario Curriculum — Mathematics | Grade 1 |
| United Kingdom (England) | National Curriculum in England — Mathematics | Year 2, Key Stage 1 |
| India | NCERT / CBSE — Mathematics | Class 1 |
Australian Curriculum v9.0 is the canonical source for this SkillrHub lesson. Victoria and NSW entries name the closest published state codes or outcomes; international entries are planning references rather than claims of identical curricula.
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Topic reference: AC9M1SP01 — Familiar Shapes and Objects
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