Virginia SOL 4.MG.5.d.iii
The Standard
congruence of sides
Virginia Standards of Learning for Mathematics · The student will classify and describe quadrilaterals (parallelograms, rectangles, squares, rhombi, and/or trapezoids) using specific properties and attributes.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify which sides of a quadrilateral are congruent by measuring or reading tick marks. They compare side-length patterns and sort shapes into all categories that apply.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can explain that squares and rhombi have four congruent sides, while rectangles and parallelograms have congruent opposite sides. The student uses measurements or tick marks as evidence and names all categories that fit. The student knows side lengths alone may not identify a trapezoid or distinguish every shape.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may classify a shape by its position or overall appearance instead of checking side lengths. They may think a square cannot also be a rectangle or rhombus. Some assume every quadrilateral has congruent opposite sides.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: A quadrilateral has four congruent sides. Name every category it could fit, then state what other information would confirm whether it is a square.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Build quadrilaterals with color-coded craft sticks, using matching colors for equal lengths, then sort the models by their congruent-side patterns.
Ask, "What do equal side lengths prove about a square, and what information must we still check?"
Play a card sort with quadrilateral diagrams, side-length labels, and category cards. Students earn points only when their evidence matches the placement.
Measure the sides of a floor tile, picture frame, and slanted sign, then record every quadrilateral category each object could match.
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