Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Protractor Treasure Trail: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 6
- ForYear 6
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Protractor Treasure Trail is a free printable geometry worksheet for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11). Children draw each shape from given lengths and angles, measure the missing side, then use the measurements to crack the code. It needs only paper, a sharp pencil, a ruler and a protractor. 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 the child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children draw each shape from the lengths and angles they are given, using a ruler and a protractor. The shapes include triangles and a rhombus. Once a shape is drawn, they measure the missing side or diagonal in centimetres. Each length links to the table on the sheet, so accurate drawing leads to the right letters and a final word to check. There is space to answer and lines for writing.
- Triangle: right angle at B, AB 5 cm, BC 12 cm. Measure AC.
- Triangle: right angle at B, AB 9 cm, BC 12 cm. Measure AC.
- Triangle: base AB 7 cm, angle A 60°, angle B 60°. Measure AC.
- Rhombus ABCD: all sides 6 cm, angle A 60°. Measure diagonal BD.
- Triangle: BC 4 cm, angle B 90°, angle C 60°. Measure AC.
- 4 cm
- 5 cm
- 6 cm
- 7 cm
- 8 cm
- 9 cm
- 10 cm
A worked example of drawing an angle
Draw line PQ 11 cm long. At P, draw an angle of 45° so that the second arm is a straight line from P.
This is a different drawing from the ones on the sheet. It shows the order of steps and a way to check.
Method 1: draw it step by step- Put the 0 mark of the ruler exactly on the left end of the line. Mark P there. Mark Q at 11 cm and join the points.
- Place the centre hole of the protractor on P. Line the baseline of the protractor along PQ.
- Find 0 on the line PQ side. Read round that same scale to 45° and make a small dot.
- Take the protractor away. Use the ruler to join P to the dot, and draw the arm.
- 45° is less than a right angle, so the angle should look narrow.
- It should look like half of the corner of a sheet of paper.
- If it looks wide, you probably read the other scale. Try again from 0.
How the treasure trail works
Draw
Children start with a ruler and mark each given length from the 0 mark. They use the protractor to make each angle, then join the points to finish the shape.
Measure
Next they measure the missing side or diagonal in centimetres. Careful drawing matters, because a small slip changes the measurement.
Match
Each measurement is looked up in the table on the sheet. It leads to a letter, so the answers build up a word.
Check
If the final word does not make sense, a shape needs another look. That gives children a reason to check their own work.
Why accurate drawing matters
Drawing a shape from given lengths and angles is a practical part of geometry. In the National Curriculum for England it sits within the geometry strand, properties of shapes. Children draw and measure with tools instead of only reading about shapes. The work links what they know about angles with what they know about lengths and measuring.
Accuracy is the point of this sheet. A protractor has two scales, and the pencil line must be thin and straight. If the angle or the length is slightly out, the measured side changes. The code gives children quick feedback. A word that makes sense suggests careful work, and a muddled word suggests going back to check.
Skills and curriculum link
- Using a protractor
- Drawing with a ruler
- Measuring in cm
- Drawing triangles accurately
- Drawing quadrilaterals accurately
- Checking work
Ideas that help with angles and drawing
- Two scalesA protractor usually has an inner scale and an outer scale. Always start reading from the 0 that sits on your baseline.
- Centre and baselineThe centre mark of the protractor goes exactly on the corner of the angle. The baseline lies along one of the arms.
- Look before you measureAn angle smaller than a right angle should look narrow. An angle bigger than a right angle should look wide. A quick look catches many mistakes.
- Sharp and lightA sharp pencil and a light line make measuring easier. Mark each point with a small dot, then join the dots with a ruler.
Key words
- ProtractorA tool for measuring and drawing angles in degrees.
- DegreeThe unit used to measure angles. It is written with the symbol °.
- VertexA corner of a shape, where two sides meet.
- Right angleAn angle of 90°, like the corner of a sheet of paper.
- RhombusA shape with four straight sides that are all the same length.
- DiagonalA straight line that joins two corners of a shape that are not next to each other.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Give the child plain or squared paper, a sharp pencil, a ruler and a protractor. Shapes can be drawn in books.
- Do the first shape together. Talk about where the protractor goes and which scale to read.
- Let the child draw and measure the rest, then use the table to find the letters. Check that the final word makes sense.
- Check against page 2 and ask how each answer was found. Come back another day, because repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Draw shapes 1 and 2 together. Put the centre of the protractor on the corner and line up the baseline with the drawn line. Read the scale that starts at 0 on that line. Look at each angle before moving on.
To stretch confident children
Ask the child to explain why a wrong angle gives a wrong letter. Then they invent a ninth shape with a missing side, draw it, measure it and swap it with a friend to check.
Make it a game
Race in pairs. Each child draws alternate shapes, then they swap and check each other's measurements. Use the table together to reveal the treasure spot. The pair with the neatest, most accurate drawings wins.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forThe line is drawn too long because the pencil starts at the end of the ruler, not at the 0 mark.
Try thisStart the pencil exactly under 0. The gap before the 0 mark adds extra length, so check that the line begins at 0.
Watch forThe angle is 120° when it should be 60°, because the wrong scale was read.
Try thisLook at the angle first. Decide whether it should be narrow or wide, then read from the scale that starts at 0 on the baseline.
Watch forThe angle looks right but the measured side is wrong, because the protractor centre was not on the corner.
Try thisPut the centre hole exactly on the corner. Hold the protractor still while you mark the dot.
Talk about it
- How do you know which scale to read on the protractor?
- What do you look at first to check an angle is sensible?
- Which shape was the trickiest to draw, and why?
- What happens to the measured side if the angle is a little out?
- How did you know your final word made sense?
- Can you think of a place where people need to draw angles accurately?
Take it off the page
Angle hunt
Walk round the house and find corners. Which look like right angles? Which look narrower or wider? Use a protractor to check three of them.
Design a treasure map
Draw a map on plain paper. Mark the start and the treasure, and add landmarks. Describe the route with turns in degrees and distances in centimetres.
Paper corner check
Fold a piece of paper to make a right angle. Use it to test corners and decide whether each is smaller or bigger than 90°.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first shape, then let them lead. Ask them to explain where the protractor goes. If the final word does not make sense, look for the shape that needs another check.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task, a homework task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups, and the code gives children quick self checking.
Home educators
Pair it with practical measuring around the house. Print it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later. A protractor and ruler are the only tools needed.
Where this fits
Before this, children learn to recognise and compare angles, then measure them with a protractor. They also practise measuring and drawing lines accurately in centimetres. Those skills come together when they draw a whole shape.
After this, children use what they know about shapes and angles to work out missing angles and to explain their reasoning. Accurate drawing with a ruler and protractor also supports later work in geometry in Key Stage 3.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Protractor Treasure Trail for?
It is written for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11), in Key Stage 2. Children should already be able to use a ruler and have met a protractor before.
- What will children practise?
Children practise drawing triangles and quadrilaterals accurately from given lengths and angles. They then measure a side to check, so the work covers geometry and measuring.
- What do children need?
Each child needs plain or squared paper, a sharp pencil, a ruler and a protractor. Shapes can be drawn in books. Page 1 is the activity and page 2 is for the grown-up.
- What if a child finds it too hard?
Draw shapes 1 and 2 together. Show how to line up the protractor baseline and read the correct scale. Then let the child try the next shape on their own.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. It is part of the Mini Minds Hub from Jaques of London, a growing library of free printables.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task, homework or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has the answers.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Print both pages and keep page 2 for the grown-up.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.