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Coordinates: First Quadrant: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 4

  • ForYear 4
  • StageKey Stage 2
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
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Coordinates: First Quadrant is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9). Children read and write points on a grid by following moves across, up and down. They also start at a given point and work out where they finish. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the adult notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Children work through numbered questions with space to write each answer. Some questions give a move, such as a number of steps across and a number of steps up. Others give a start point in brackets and ask children to move in one direction, or in two. The sheet finishes with a question that asks children to explain how a coordinate pair works. They practise reading and writing ordered pairs as they go.

  • Move 3 across and 2 up.
  • Move 5 across and 1 up.
  • Move 0 across and 4 up.
  • Move 6 across and 6 up.
  • Start at (2, 3). Move 4 across.
  • Start at (5, 5). Move 3 down.
  • Start at (1, 1). Move 2 across and 5 up.
  • Which number comes first in a coordinate pair?

How the sheet builds up

Moves across and up

The opening questions give a move that combines two directions, such as a number of steps across and a number of steps up. Children picture the journey on a grid and write where it ends.

A move that includes zero

One move has no steps in one direction. This helps children see that zero is a real number on the grid, and that a point can sit on an axis.

Start points and one direction

Later questions give a start point in brackets and a move in one direction only. Children see that one number in the pair changes while the other stays the same. One of these moves goes down.

Start point and two directions, then explaining

One question starts at a given point and moves in two directions. The sheet ends with a question about how the pair of numbers works, so children put the rule into their own words.

Why coordinates matter

Coordinates give every point on a grid its own address, written as a pair of numbers. The order of the two numbers matters, so the pair is called an ordered pair. Two number lines, called axes, meet at a corner point called the origin. In the first quadrant, both numbers in a pair are zero or more, which keeps the first steps simple.

Grids with addresses are used all around us. Maps often use grid references, and games such as chess and Battleships name squares so players can find them. Spreadsheets and screens use the same idea. Learning to read a position carefully helps children later with graphs, shapes that move, and reading maps.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Reading coordinates
  • Writing ordered pairs
  • Direction words
  • Counting along axes
  • Explaining reasoning

This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.

Framework Subject or area Strand Year
National Curriculum (England) Maths Geometry: position and direction Year 4

What children will be able to do

  • I can say what an ordered pair shows.
  • I can read a coordinate to find a position.
  • I can plot a point on a grid.

Ideas that help with coordinates

  • Two numbers, one positionA single number can only tell you how far along a line you are. A pair of numbers can fix a point on a whole grid.
  • Order mattersTwo pairs made from the same numbers can name different points. Always check which number tells you about which direction.
  • Axes are number linesThe two edges of the grid are number lines. Children can count along them just like counting along a ruler.
  • Moves change one number at a timeMoving in just one direction changes only one part of the pair. The other part stays where it was.

Key words

  • CoordinatesA pair of numbers that tells you exactly where a point is on a grid.
  • Ordered pairTwo numbers written in a set order inside brackets. The order matters.
  • AxisA number line along the edge of a grid. More than one are called axes.
  • OriginThe point where the two axes meet. It is written (0, 0).
  • PlotTo mark a point on a grid in the right place.
  • QuadrantOne of four sections of a grid. The first quadrant is the corner where both numbers are zero or more.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
  2. Read the first question aloud. Before writing, say the two directions out loud in order, as the notes suggest. Walking the steps on the floor can help.
  3. Work through the first few questions together. Talk about each choice and let your child lead when they feel ready.
  4. Check against page 2. Ask, "How did you find that point?" Listen for the reasoning, not only the answer.
  5. Come back another day and redo any questions that felt tricky. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Draw a simple grid on scrap paper. Number the bottom edge and the side edge, then count along each one with a finger or a pencil. Mark each move with a small dot. Try the first few questions first and come back to the rest later.

To stretch confident children

Write your own move instructions for a partner. Choose a start point, give one or two moves, and keep the answer secret. Your partner works out the end point. Swap roles. Try writing a move that goes down.

Make it a game

Take turns to give a start point and a move. The other player writes the end point. Check it on a grid drawn on scrap paper. One point for each correct answer. The first player to reach five points wins.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child counts the starting square as the first step, so the end point is one place out.

Try thisPut a finger on the start point. Say nothing for that square. Count the first step only as you move away from it.

Watch forA child moves the wrong way for a move that goes down, and the number gets bigger.

Try thisDraw the grid and point to the direction on it. Ask, "Is the point higher or lower now?" Then decide whether the number should grow or shrink.

Watch forA child changes both numbers when the move only goes in one direction.

Try thisAsk which direction the move goes in. Underline only that part of the pair. The other part stays as it was.

Talk about it

  • How would you explain coordinates to a younger child?
  • Where do you start counting when you read a point?
  • What happens to the pair when you move in just one direction?
  • Why do you think the order of the numbers matters?
  • Where might you see a grid with addresses in real life?
  • Can you think of a move that does not change the point at all?

Take it off the page

Floor grid

Make a grid on the floor with chalk or masking tape. Number the edges. Call out a start point and a move, and let your child walk it to find the end point.

Hidden treasure

Draw a grid and hide a small treasure on one point. Give clues as a start point and a move. Your child works out where to look.

Map hunt

Look at a paper map or a street plan with a grid. Find a square using its grid reference. Compare how it works with coordinates.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first few questions, then let them lead. Say the directions out loud together before writing. If they get stuck, draw a small grid on scrap paper and count along the edges.

Teachers

Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. The moves vary, so you can see which children are secure with direction words and which need a grid to count on.

Home educators

Print it as part of your wider maths plan. It pairs well with outdoor play, such as a chalk grid in the garden. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or for revision a few weeks later.

Where this fits

Before this, children use number lines, count in steps and use direction words such as left, right, up and down. In Year 4, the National Curriculum for England asks them to describe positions on a grid as coordinates in the first quadrant, and to describe movements between positions.

After this, children go on to work with translation and reflection in the first quadrant. Later in Key Stage 2 they meet all four quadrants, where coordinates can include negative numbers. Secure first quadrant skills make that step much easier.

Check it worked

Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.

  1. Which number do you read first in a pair?
  2. How do you find the point (3, 2)?
  3. What happens if you swap the numbers?

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Coordinates: First Quadrant for?

It is written for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9) in Key Stage 2. Younger children may enjoy it with an adult, and older children can use it as revision before moving on to harder grids.

What will children practise?

Children practise reading and writing coordinates, understanding how an ordered pair gives a position, and following moves across, up and down on a grid. They also practise explaining how a pair of numbers works.

How do I use it?

Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. Work through the first few questions together, saying the directions out loud before writing. Then check against the notes and answers on page 2.

What if it feels too hard?

Draw a simple grid on scrap paper and count along the axes. Try a few questions at a time and come back later. Walking the steps on the floor can also make the moves easier to picture.

Is it free, and do I need colour?

Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. You do not need colour. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper.

Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed groups.

How long does it take?

It depends on the child. Some work through quickly and others like to talk about each move. There is no set time, so let your child go at their own pace and stop and come back another day if needed.

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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.

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