Primary Type: Formative Assessment
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 70628
Classifying Shapes
Students are asked to classify quadrilaterals and trapezoids by their properties.
Subject(s): Mathematics
Grade Level(s): 5
Intended Audience: Educators
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: MFAS, two-dimensional, shapes, trapezoids, quadrilaterals, properties
Resource Collection: MFAS Formative Assessments
ATTACHMENTS
MFAS_ClassifyingShapes_Worksheet.pdf
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TASK
Instructions for Implementing the Task
This task should be implemented individually.
1. The teacher cuts out the five shape cards in advance of giving the task and places them in front of the student.
2. The teacher then reads the following to the student, “What do these five shapes have in common?” If the student does not answer that they are all quadrilaterals, the
teacher may prompt the student by asking, “Is there one name that you could use to classify all five of these shapes?” Note: If the student answers that all the shapes
are polygons, the teacher should say, “Yes that is correct. But this grouping shows a special type of polygons. How else can these shapes be classified?”
3. Next, the teacher provides the student with the Classifying Shapes worksheet and the five shape cards. The teacher says to the student, “This diagram represents a
hierarchy of quadrilaterals. Sort these shapes so that the shapes in the smaller section also belong to the category of shapes in the larger section. Label the headings of
the two groups on the diagram.”
TASK RUBRIC
Getting Started
Misconception/Error
The student is unable to classify the shapes as quadrilaterals and cannot sort them on the hierarchical chart.
Examples of Student Work at this Level
The student is unable to classify the collection of shapes as quadrilaterals and cannot sort them into the hierarchical chart using defining properties.
page 1 of 4 Questions Eliciting Thinking
How can you classify shapes that have four sides?
How are these shapes alike? How are they different?
Can you sort the shapes by those that have one pair of parallel sides and others that have no parallel sides?
How can you classify shapes that have one pair of parallel sides?
Instructional Implications
Consider using the MFAS task Identifying Quadrilaterals – Part One (3.G.1.1) to assess the student’s foundational understanding of shared shape attributes, larger
categories, and subcategories.
Review the terms quadrilateral, polygon, parallelogram, rhombus, square, rectangle, trapezoid and their definitions. Provide the student with extensive exposure to a variety
of different quadrilaterals. When defining trapezoids for the student, the teacher should consistently use the same definition whether exclusive or inclusive. For more
information, see the MFAS task Trapezoids (5.G.2.4). Guide the student to focus on the defining attributes of each shape (e.g., rectangles are quadrilaterals with four right
angles, and a rhombus is a quadrilateral with four congruent sides). Model the use of mathematical terminology to describe specific attributes of shapes. Help the student
develop an understanding of the concept of subcategories of quadrilaterals by showing a variety of examples and non-examples. Assist the student in using mathematical
terminology to describe quadrilaterals (e.g., quadrilaterals are polygons with four sides; quadrilaterals also have four angles and four vertices; the lengths of the sides of
quadrilaterals are not always the same).
Have the student practice analyzing, comparing, and classifying shapes based on properties by providing the student with a set of shape cards or power polygons. Have the
student sort the shapes into categories that are provided or allow the student to create categories. Ask the student to justify classifications by referring to defining
attributes.
Moving Forward
Misconception/Error
The student is unable to sort the shapes on the hierarchical chart.
Examples of Student Work at this Level
The student explains that all shapes have four sides and are quadrilaterals. However, the student is unable to determine an appropriate subcategory within the collection of
shapes.
Questions Eliciting Thinking
What are the defining attributes of quadrilaterals?
What are the defining attributes of trapezoids?
How are trapezoids and quadrilaterals the same? How are they different?
Instructional Implications
Be sure the student understands the structure of the diagram (e.g., the shapes in the smaller section are a subcategory of the shapes in the larger section). Discuss how
shapes can be classified into categories and sub-categories (e.g., all trapezoids are quadrilaterals but not all quadrilaterals are trapezoids). Ask the student to describe the
attribute that is shared by the quadrilaterals he or she placed in each section of the diagram. Guide the student to sort the shapes so the trapezoids are a subcategory of
the quadrilaterals. Emphasize the use of attributes of shapes to classify and sort shapes.
Have the student create a flipbook of shapes in which the student records a category (e.g., quadrilaterals, polygons, parallelograms, etc.) and definition. The student then
draws a shape or two to match. Next, have the student create sub-categories (e.g., rectangles, rhombus, etc.) and have the student identify shapes that fall into multiple
categories.
Consider using the MFAS task Where Do They Belong (5.G.2.4), which assesses the student’s understanding of the relationship between, squares, rectangles, and
rhombuses.
Almost There
Misconception/Error
The student incorrectly uses the diagram to explain the hierarchy of the shapes.
Examples of Student Work at this Level
The student accurately identifies the collection of shapes as quadrilaterals and distinguishes quadrilaterals and trapezoids in his or her sort. However, the student incorrectly
places them into the hierarchical chart such that the quadrilaterals are shown as a subcategory of the trapezoids.
page 2 of 4 Questions Eliciting Thinking
Why did you place the trapezoids in the large outside section of the hierarchical chart?
Are all quadrilaterals also trapezoids? Why or why not?
Are all parallelograms also quadrilaterals or are all quadrilaterals also parallelograms? How do you know?
In what other ways can a square be classified besides a quadrilateral? Explain how you know.
Instructional Implications
Give the student additional practice with hierarchical classification of two-dimensional shapes. Provide images of several rectangles, squares, and rhombuses. Have the
student create a Venn diagram and determine the three groups for classification and which shape or shapes fit within each group. Encourage the student to explain aloud
his or her reasoning and why he or she decided to place each shape in a particular category on the Venn diagram.
Provide the student with additional hands on practice with classifying shapes based on their properties and explaining hierarchical classification. Give the student a bag of
pattern blocks, and encourage the student to develop a hierarchical chart classifying the shapes by their attributes and to label each group accordingly. Then encourage the
student to partner with a Got It student to explain and discuss his or her classification.
Provide clear instruction on the relationship between a category and its subcategories and how this relationship correlates to the structure of the Venn diagram.
Got It
Misconception/Error
The student provides complete and correct responses to all components of the task.
Examples of Student Work at this Level
The student explains that each of the shapes in the given set of shapes have four sides and are called quadrilaterals. The student also accurately sorts the shapes into the
hierarchical chart resulting in three trapezoids in the smaller section and two quadrilaterals in the larger section and labels the headings of the chart accordingly.
Questions Eliciting Thinking
Can trapezoids also be classified as parallelograms? Why or why not?
How can all three of these shapes be classified as trapezoids even if they do not look the same?
Instructional Implications
Consider using MFAS tasks Classifying Quadrilaterals and Trapezoids (5.G.2.4) to assess the student’s understanding of how to classify quadrilaterals and trapezoids based on
their properties.
Provide the student instruction on how trapezoids can be further classified as right trapezoids if they contain two right angles. Additionally, share with the student that
trapezoids can be classified as isosceles if they contain one pair of opposite sides that are equal. Provide the student with additional pictures of various trapezoids, and ask
the student to classify each trapezoid further as right or isosceles where applicable.
Challenge the student to further classify quadrilaterals by creating a hierarchical chart listing and grouping as many types of quadrilaterals as possible. Encourage the student
to carefully consider the hierarchical nature of two-dimensional shape classification and how some shapes can be classified as two or more shapes, but others only belong to
one group.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Special Materials Needed:
Classifying Shapes worksheet
page 3 of 4 SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: MFAS FCRSTEM
Name of Author/Source: MFAS FCRSTEM
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Okaloosa
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
MAFS.5.G.2.4:
Description
Classify and organize two-dimensional figures into Venn diagrams based on the attributes of the figures.
page 4 of 4