Angle Alien

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Help the Angle Alien Aim Its Laser! A Fun Game for Learning Angles

Ready for a maths mission in outer space? In our free online game, Angle Alien, your child will help a friendly alien aim its laser by calculating angles on a 360-degree protractor. This game is a fantastic way for children in Upper Key Stage 2 (ages 9-11) to get hands-on practice with angles and turns.

An instruction will appear, such as “Rotate the laser 90° clockwise” or “How many degrees do you turn clockwise to get to 180°?”. Your child must work out the new angle or the required turn and input the answer to help the alien aim correctly. It’s a perfect blend of fun and learning!

How This Game Supports Your Child’s Learning

“Angle Alien” makes abstract geometry concepts visual and interactive. By physically seeing the laser turn and relating it to the numbers on the protractor, children develop a much deeper and more intuitive understanding of angles.

Key Maths Skills Developed:

  • Estimating and Measuring Angles: Children become familiar with what different angles (like 45°, 90°, 180°, and 270°) look like.
  • Calculating with Angles: The game requires players to add and subtract angles to find the new position or calculate the difference between two points.
  • Understanding Turns: It reinforces the concepts of clockwise and anti-clockwise turns and their relation to degrees.
  • Properties of a Circle: The game helps children memorise that a full turn is 360°, a half turn is 180°, and a quarter turn is 90°.

Meeting National Curriculum Objectives

This game directly supports the learning objectives for Geometry outlined in the National Curriculum for England for Mathematics in Key Stage 2. Specifically, it helps children to:

  • Year 5:
    • Know angles are measured in degrees: estimate and compare acute, obtuse and reflex angles.
    • Identify angles at a point and one whole turn (total 360°).
    • Identify angles at a point on a straight line and 1/2 a turn (total 180°).
    • Identify other multiples of 90°.
  • Year 6:
    • Recognise angles where they meet at a point, are on a straight line, or are vertically opposite, and find missing angles.

Advice for Parents: Becoming a Top Space Cadet

You can help your child master angles with these simple tips while they play:

  1. Talk About Turns: Before they answer, ask them to predict what a 90° clockwise turn will look like. Which number will it point to? This builds their estimation skills.
  2. Use Your Arms: For a physical guide, have them stand up and stretch their arms out. Show them what a 90° turn and a 180° turn feel like.
  3. Break It Down: For a question like “How many degrees to get from 30° to 150°?”, encourage them to count up in chunks. “How many degrees to get to 90° first? And then how many more from 90° to 150°?”
  4. Look for Angles Everywhere: Point out angles in the real world – the corner of a book is 90°, the angle of a pizza slice, the hands on a clock. This helps connect the game to everyday life.