Tangrams

Grade Level: 4 through 6
Classroom Time: 1hr. 30 min. period

Note: For this lesson, you will need a complete set of tangrams consisting of seven pieces:

a small square
two small congruent triangles
two large congruent triangles
a medium-size triangle
a parallelogram

If you do not have a set, instructions on how to make a set of tangrams are given in this website lesson: http://mathforum.org/trscavo/tangrams.html. Click on “constructing your own set of tangrams”. (Use colored construction paper for making the tangrams.)

Follow the lesson described in http://mathforum.org/trscavo/tangrams/area.html. (Other tangram lessons can also be found on the earlier page: http://mathforum.org/trscavo/tangrams.html.
Art component: Go to this website: http://www.jimloy.com/puzz/tangram.htm to see some figures made of tangrams.
After using the tangrams for the area lesson, let students make up a story and design the main character of their story using their tangram pieces. For example, make a house, dog, cat, airplane, sailboat or etc. to represent the main character.

National Math Standards

Geometry Standard: Analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships
Geometry Standard: Use visualization, spatial reasoning and geometric modeling to solve problems.
Measurement standard: Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas to determine measurements.
Problem Solving: Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving.

National Visual Arts Standards

This lesson was written by Elena Thorne, 5th grade teacher at Thomas Jefferson Elementary in Houston, Texas

The mission of Project GRAD is to ensure a quality public education for all students in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school and college graduation rates increase.