Cartesian Coordinate Hop – Plot and Connect

Mat: Cartesian Coordinate Hop

Grade Guidance: Grade 5; use the first quadrant and nonnegative coordinates.

Focus: Plot ordered pairs and connect them to form a polygon.

Connected Standards: NY-5.G.1.

Video guide: Use the Find the Location video as the guide for locating and marking ordered pairs. Practice with the nonnegative coordinates below for Grade 5. Connecting the points into a rectangle is the written extension in this topic. If the video includes negative coordinates, treat those as an optional extension. The horizontal and vertical number-walk topics provide additional axis practice.

Try the Activity:

1. Prepare the ordered list (1, 1), (5, 1), (5, 4), (1, 4). Plot each point from the origin, moving horizontally first and then vertically.
2. Place markers at grid-line intersections. Keep them away from walking paths or point instead of stepping.
3. On paper, connect the points in the given order and connect the last point back to the first.
4. Identify the resulting rectangle and explain how the coordinates show horizontal and vertical sides.

Worked Example: The rectangle has side lengths of 4 units and 3 units; count intervals between coordinates, not the number of marked points.

Quick Check: Why is the side from (1, 1) to (5, 1) 4 units long? Its x-coordinate changes by 4 while y stays the same.

Adapt: Plot one point at a time. Extend by finding the area or perimeter, or create a new polygon within the first quadrant.

Reflect: Choose a classroom use and one question that will reveal student understanding. Invite students to explain the movement and record an equation, diagram, or sentence.