Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Drawing Angles: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Drawing Angles is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children use a ruler, a protractor and a sharp pencil to draw angles of given sizes in boxes. Page 2 gives the grown-up 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 draw angles in boxes using a ruler, a protractor and a sharp pencil. Each box names the size of an angle in degrees. Children draw a baseline, line up the protractor, mark the right size and join the lines. The sizes are a mix, so children meet different kinds of angle. They can also name each angle they draw.
- Draw 40 degrees
- Draw 90 degrees
- Draw 120 degrees
- Draw 65 degrees
Worked example: drawing 75 degrees
Draw an angle of 75 degrees.
This angle is not on the sheet. It shows how to set up the protractor, using a size that is different from every angle on the page.
Method 1: baseline pointing right- Use a ruler to draw a straight line. Mark a dot at the left end. This dot is the corner of the angle.
- Put the centre of the protractor on the dot. Turn it so the baseline runs along the zero line.
- Find the scale that starts at 0 on the right end of the baseline. Follow it up to 75 and make a small mark.
- Take the protractor away. Use the ruler to join the dot to the mark.
- Draw the straight line and put the dot at the right end.
- Put the protractor centre on the dot, with the baseline along the zero line.
- Use the scale that starts at 0 on the left end of the baseline. Follow it round to 75 and mark it.
- Join the dot to the mark with the ruler.
Getting set up well
A sharp pencil
A thick line can hide a few degrees. A sharp pencil makes small, neat marks and lines.
Baseline first
Draw one straight line with the ruler before reaching for the protractor. Every angle starts from this line.
Centre on the corner
The small cross or hole at the middle of the protractor goes exactly on the corner of the angle.
Start from zero
Read the scale that begins at 0 on your baseline. Count up from there to the size you need.
Why draw angles as well as measure them?
An angle describes an amount of turn. We measure it in degrees. A full turn is 360 degrees and a half turn is 180 degrees. A protractor is a tool that shows those degrees on a curved edge. It lets us compare turns exactly, instead of just saying that one looks bigger than another.
Drawing an angle asks children to think carefully about how a protractor works. They must choose where to place it, which scale to read and where to mark. Because they build the angle themselves, they notice mistakes quickly. An angle that looks far too wide or too narrow is a clue to check the scale.
Skills and curriculum link
- Using a protractor
- Drawing angles accurately
- Using a ruler
- Naming angles
- Reading a scale
- Estimating size
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: properties of shapes | Year 5 |
What children will be able to do
- I can use a protractor to draw an angle.
- I can line up the ruler and the baseline.
- I can say if an angle is acute or obtuse.
Helpful angle ideas
- DegreesAngles are measured in degrees. A bigger turn means a bigger number of degrees.
- Two scalesMost protractors have two scales. Pick the one that starts at 0 on your baseline.
- Estimate firstCompare the angle you need with the corner of a sheet of paper. Decide if it should be narrower or wider before you draw.
- Acute and obtuseAn acute angle is smaller than a right angle. An obtuse angle is bigger than a right angle but smaller than a straight line.
Key words
- AngleThe amount of turn between two lines that meet at a point.
- DegreeThe unit we use to measure an angle.
- ProtractorA tool with a curved edge and a scale. It measures and draws angles.
- BaselineThe first straight line you draw. The protractor sits along it.
- AcuteAn angle that is smaller than a right angle.
- ObtuseAn angle that is bigger than a right angle but smaller than a straight line.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Gather a ruler, a protractor and a sharp pencil. Show your child the centre mark on the protractor.
- Work through the first angle together. Talk about where the protractor goes and which scale to read.
- Let your child try the rest. Then check against page 2 and ask, "How did you decide where to put the mark?"
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start with the right angle, then do the acute ones. Line the centre of the protractor up with the corner and the baseline up with the zero line. Say out loud which scale you are using. Do one angle at a time.
To stretch confident children
Turn the sheet over. Draw an angle of 150 degrees and a reflex angle of 200 degrees on the back. A reflex angle is bigger than a straight line. Think about how you will use the protractor for it.
Make it a game
Swap sheets with a friend and check each other's angles with a protractor. Or take turns to choose a number of degrees from 10 to 170. Your partner draws that angle, and you check it. One point for each angle that is correct.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forThe protractor centre is not on the corner, so the angle comes out the wrong size.
Try thisDraw a dot for the corner first. Put the centre mark of the protractor right on the dot before reading anything.
Watch forThe child reads the wrong scale and the angle looks too wide or too narrow.
Try thisAsk them to estimate first. Is the angle narrower or wider than a square corner? Then choose the scale that starts at 0 on the baseline.
Watch forThe baseline is not lined up with the zero line, so the whole angle is tilted.
Try thisCheck that the baseline runs exactly along the zero line. Hold the protractor still with one hand while marking with the other.
Talk about it
- Where does the middle of the protractor go, and why?
- How do you know which scale to read?
- Before you draw, do you think this angle will be wide or narrow? Why?
- Is this angle acute or obtuse? How can you tell?
- What would you do if your angle looked far too big?
- Where do you see angles in the room around you?
Take it off the page
Angle hunt
Walk around the house or garden. Find corners and edges that make angles. Decide if each one is a square corner, smaller or bigger.
Ruler hinges
Hold two rulers together at one end to make a hinge. Open them to different angles. Ask a friend to guess if each one is smaller or bigger than a square corner.
Body angles
Use your arms to show a small angle, a square corner and a wide angle. Take turns copying each other.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first angle, then let them lead. Keep sessions short and calm. Praise careful setting up, not only correct answers.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider maths plan. Pair it with an angle hunt at home or outdoors. Reuse it for brothers and sisters, or for revision later.
Where this fits in maths
In earlier years children meet angles as turns and corners, and learn to tell acute and obtuse angles apart. They compare and order angles by size. This gives them the ideas they need before they use a protractor.
In Year 5 geometry, children learn to measure angles in degrees and to draw angles of given sizes. These skills are taught together and support each other. Year 5 also covers estimating angles, reflex angles and finding angles on a straight line and around a point. Year 6 builds on this when children draw shapes using given angles and lengths.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Where do you put the middle of the protractor?
- How do you know which scale to read?
- Is this angle acute or obtuse, and how can you tell?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Drawing Angles for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. Children in nearby year groups may also enjoy it, depending on how confident they are with a protractor.
- What will children practise?
They practise drawing angles accurately with a ruler and protractor. They also practise lining up the protractor, reading the right scale and naming the angles they draw.
- What do I need to use it?
You need a ruler, a protractor and a sharp pencil. Children draw the angles in the boxes on page 1. Page 2 is for the grown-up and has notes and answers.
- What if it feels too hard?
Start with the right angle, then do the acute ones. Help your child line the centre of the protractor up with the corner. Do one angle at a time and say each step aloud.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision.
- Can teachers use it 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.
- Is it a screen free activity, and can home educators use it?
Yes to both. It needs only paper, a ruler, a protractor and a pencil. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or as part of a wider maths plan.
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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.