Take two or three hands-up answers, not open call-outs. Listen for the word gaps and revoice it: so the shapes meet with no gaps between them.

Squares first: point out that four square corners meet at a point and the straight edges match, so no gaps appear.

Hexagons next: same test — do they meet edge to edge? They do; this is the honeycomb.

Circles are the one to hold on. Ask before revealing the picture: will these leave gaps? Then point to the little curved spaces the picture shows between every group of circles, the ones the round edges cannot close. This is the case pupils reason from in the wrap.

Talk this one through together — pupils take turns at the board laying squares, and the class agrees or corrects out loud. Squares fill the floor cleanly because every straight edge matches its neighbour. Keep asking gaps or no gaps? as the single test.

Between each pupil's turn, keep the watching class working: ask for a prediction before the next square goes down, take two hands-up answers, and revoice a pupil's observation before revealing. Rotate four pupils so different children get a turn at the board.

Remind them that hexagons work the same way because their edges are straight too, like the honeycomb. Pupils will draw triangle and hexagon tilings by hand in the next step.

This is the practice round — pupils take turns at the board, check each answer, and the class confirms before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining, and take a quick prediction before each challenge starts.

The last challenge fills the largest floor. Ask before it starts is any square going to leave a gap? so pupils reason rather than guess. Link back to the honeycomb and copybook drawings: hexagons and triangles fill space the same way because their edges are straight too.