Fourth Grade Geometry Lessons and Sample Exercises

What Will My Child Learn During Fourth Grade Geometry Lessons?

In many fourth grade math classes, students continue to categorize shapes, based on angles and lines. They also are introduced to new vocabulary terms, such as ray, acute angle, obtuse angle and perpendicular line, and they learn to identify lines of symmetry.

In class, lessons may include hands-on activities because geometry concepts can be hard to visualize. Activities often include drawing various types of figures, such as line segments or rays. In addition, students may experiment with finding lines of symmetry by folding pieces of paper in half. You can replicate this activity at home by drawing a shape on a piece of paper and having your child fold the paper to find the line where both sides of the shape are equal.

Students at this age also learn to measure angles. In many cases, they use a protractor as a measuring tool. An angle that's less than 90 degrees is classified as acute, while an angle from 90-180 degrees is obtuse. To help your child practice, you can draw a few angles on a sheet of paper and ask your child to measure them.

Fourth Grade Geometry Exercises

1. On a right triangle, identify the right angle and acute angles.

With this type of question, it can be helpful to provide a drawing to help your child visualize the shape. Right angles are 90 degrees. The other two angles are acute because they're less than 90 degrees.

2. Identify the perpendicular and parallel lines on a rectangle.

Parallel lines do not intersect, so the two horizontal lines on a rectangle are parallel, as are the two vertical lines. Perpendicular lines do intersect, so your child should identify areas where horizontal and vertical lines meet.

3. Draw a line of symmetry in a rectangle.

A line of symmetry is where both sides of a shape are equal. In a rectangle, the line can divide the rectangle vertically or horizontally so that both sides have matching parts.

4. Draw an angle that is 65 degrees. Identify what kind of angle this is.

Your child should use a protractor to draw the angle. In this case, the angle is less than 90 degrees, so it's acute.