Do you ever notice how learning Pythagoras is like finding the perfect pair of shoes? Start small — a few grid-displacement warm-ups (think 3–4–5, 5–12–13), short bursts that train students to read integer vectors and tidy square roots. Draw the grid, label coordinates, write Δx and Δy, build the right triangle and whisper one-line justification. For a 13‑year‑old these are the confidence-building flats: quick, frequent wins. Semester 1 structure: Weeks 1–4 focus on single-triangle Pythagoras and lattice distances; Weeks 5–8 chain short moves (compose vectors, compute segment lengths or combine for total displacement). Teaching steps: insist on clear diagrams, label legs, list candidate vectors, apply Pythagoras, and note a one-sentence reason. Progression: low difficulty — single-step grid displacements; medium — compound short paths; finish with richer chain puzzles to consolidate automaticity. Map to ACARA v9: fluency with Pythagoras and arithmetic, spatial reasoning, and choice of representations. Pace practice as many short problems to build speed, then slowly raise the heel: optimisation and combinatorial Pythagorean path tasks by Semester 2. Teach tidy work, reward tidy reasoning, and let confidence glide in. Insist on neat labelling and a one-line reason for every answer — those small habits are the real style statement.