By second grade,
students should be able to identify 2-D shapes and have been exposed to pattern
blocks. The pattern blocks tend to be a favorite “toy” during indoor recess. In
culmination of the study of 2-D shapes, students are introduced to the concept
of tangram puzzles.
When possible, I enjoy adding children’s literature into
my math lessons and have found that even students at the junior high level
covet story time. One such story that applies here is Grandfather Tang’s Story
by Ann Tompert in which two characters tell stories revolving around tangrams
and the pictures they can make.
Websites
Students can make their own tangram pictures or just
explore the use of the tangram pieces:
Pattern Blocks: Create your own pattern block designs or
tessellations with this website. It provides a blank canvas with a grid pattern
that allows the shapes to snap into place. You may need to print out a screen
shot instead of just printing it out through your web browser.
Solving tangram puzzles can be done with these:
Tangrams Game: Use the given shapes to fill in a square. All
three levels require the pieces to be rotated.
Tangrams: There are twelve different puzzles that
require the shapes to be rotated and placed without the use of any guides.
Tangrams – National Museum of Play: Click the tangram to
play. One option is to click “Begin” to be given a puzzle and all the pieces.
The other option “Play Around” provides a blank canvas and all the available
pieces.
If you are unable to utilize technology for your lesson,
or would rather use the physical pattern blocks, there are websites that
provide puzzles to solve.
Tangram Grid – National Museum of Play: This document
includes pattern blocks to cut out, puzzles to solve, and their solutions.
Tangrams – IDEAS: There are five pages of puzzles to
solve.
iPad
Apps
These apps are not much
different than the websites listed above, but if you need an iPad app, these
are good.
New LetsTans Deluxe: Tangram
puzzles with levels that range from just dragging the tiles over to those that
require the tiles to be rotated before being dragged over. ($2.99)
Alphabets – Tangram Building Blocks: Solve tangrams
that are in the shapes of all the letters of the alphabet. Guides are not
included. These can be a little tricky. (Free)
