AC9M1SP02 • Year 1 Maths

Directions and Location

Directions use position and movement words so people and objects can move from one location to another within a space.

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Learning goals

Directions use position and movement words so people and objects can move from one location to another within a space.

Learning routine: Start → Direction word → Move steps → Check location

Success looks like

  • Use starting points
  • Use direction words
  • Follow directions
  • Move objects/people
  • Check final location
Concept model and worked application

Clear directions need a starting point

start at doormove forward 3 stepsturn leftstop at mat

Without a starting point, the same words can send people to different places.

Use precise position and movement words

left/rightforward/backbesidebetweenbehind

Check the final location against the instruction.

Explain your thinking: Say what each part of the model represents, then explain why the answer or conclusion follows.

Directions depend on the starting view

Give and follow a sequence of directions with a clear start and facing direction.

Worked example

A robot faces the classroom door. It must move forward two steps, turn right, then move one step.

  1. Mark the starting position and point to the way the robot faces.
  2. Move two steps forward, then turn on the spot to the robot's right.
  3. Move one step in the new facing direction. Check each instruction in its given order.

Watch for this mistake: Turning right changes where you face; it is not automatically a step sideways. Left and right belong to the person following the directions.

Try it, then explain

  1. Two children face each other. Will their right hands point to the same side of the room? Explain.

    Hint

    Imagine standing in each child's position.

    Answer and explanation

    No. Their facing directions are opposite, so their right sides point to opposite sides of the room.

  2. Why is ‘go forward’ unclear when the starting direction is not given?

    Hint

    Forward is relative to where someone faces.

    Answer and explanation

    Different facing directions lead to different routes.

Australian Curriculum elaborations

These curriculum examples extend the central model into varied contexts. They are learning contexts, not extra definitions to memorise.

E1

interpreting and following directions around familiar locations, and understanding the meaning and importance of the words when giving directions; for example, using words like “forwards” and “backwards”, “straight ahead”, “left or right” to describe movement and giving instructions like “Keep going straight until you reach the end of this passage and then turn to your right”

Try and explain: A robot faces the board. It moves forward two spaces, turns right, then moves forward one. Why must its starting direction be known?

Answer and teaching point

Forward and right depend on which way the robot faces. A different starting direction can produce a different finishing position.

E2

creating and following an algorithm consisting of a set of instructions to move an object to a different location; for example, role-playing being a robot and following step-by-step instructions given by another classmate to move from one place to another, only moving as instructed

Try and explain: A robot is told ‘Go over there.’ Improve the instruction so another person can follow it exactly.

Answer and teaching point

For example, ‘Start on the marked square facing the door. Move forward three squares.’ A clear start, direction and distance remove guesswork.

E3

following directions to move people into different positions within a line using both ordinal and positional language to describe their position; for example, directly comparing heights and following directions using ordinal and positional language to line up in height order

Try and explain: A line is Mia, Noah, Ava, Leo from front to back. Who is third, and who stands immediately behind Noah?

Answer and teaching point

Ava is third and immediately behind Noah. State which end is the front before using ordinal positions.

E4

describing a familiar journey across Country/Place using directional language

Try and explain: Describe a route from the classroom door to the library using two familiar landmarks. What should a listener be able to do?

Answer and teaching point

The listener should be able to follow the stated route. For example, walk straight to the tree, turn left, then continue to the library entrance; check the directions against the actual local layout.

Common misconceptions and traps
  • No starting point — Always state where to start.
  • Left/right confusion — Face the same direction before using left and right.
  • Too vague — Use clear movement and position words, not just over there.
Guided learning activities

Robot walk

Give a partner step-by-step directions across a classroom grid.

Model: forward 2, right 1

Object move

Move a counter to a named location using direction words.

Model: beside the book

Check and fix

Follow a direction and improve it if it is unclear.

Model: start where?

Revision Notes

Key idea: Directions use position and movement words so people and objects can move from one location to another within a space.

Remember

  • Use starting points
  • Use direction words
  • Follow directions
  • Move objects/people
  • Check final location

Quick questions

  • Why do directions need a start?
  • Give two movement words.
  • Move an object beside another object.
  • What could make a direction unclear?

Return to the concept model if an answer is uncertain. Use the model to explain, not just to guess.

Official curriculum reference

AC9M1SP02: give and follow directions to move people and objects to different locations within a space

Australian Curriculum Version 9.0

Practice, test and teacher resources

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.

Classroom ViewPractice SheetPracticeTest
🎥 Optional Video Lesson

The SkillrHub lesson remains the primary learning resource. This optional video reinforces the explanation; you can complete the lesson and practice without watching.

Back to the lesson

Before you watch:

  • Pause after each worked example.
  • Try the examples yourself.
  • Return to the SkillrHub lesson before continuing.
Recommended: Location and Directions

Scratch Garden — Practise words that describe position and movement.

As you watch: Follow the direction words. Where does the object finish?

Load video player Loads YouTube in this lesson. See the video notice below.

Try it: Give a partner three directions to move a toy around a table. Swap roles and check the final position.

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Curriculum equivalents: Victoria, NSW and international

Curriculum equivalents for Directions and location

Mapped skill: give and follow directions to move people and objects to different locations within a space

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.

RegionCurriculum frameworkClosest level or code
AustraliaAustralian Curriculum v9.0AC9M1SP02 · Year 1
VictoriaVictorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 — MathematicsVC2M1SP02 · Level 1
New South WalesNSW Mathematics K–10 Syllabus (2022)MA1-GM-01 · Stage 1
United States (USA)Common Core State Standards for MathematicsGrade 1
Canada (Ontario)Ontario Curriculum — MathematicsGrade 1
United Kingdom (England)National Curriculum in England — MathematicsYear 2, Key Stage 1
IndiaNCERT / CBSE — MathematicsClass 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: AC9M1SP02 — Directions and Location

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