Geometry-TangramsLesson Plan

Satisfies 4 Third Grade Math GLCEs

Instructional Objectives

By the end of this presentation, the students will have experience working with tangrams to create various shapes and identify key concepts of Geometry.

This task will satisfy:

GLCE G.GS.03.01: identify points, line segments, lines, and distance

G.GS.03.02: identify perpendicular lines and parallel lines, planes in familiar shapes and in the classroom

Instructional Objectives Continued

G.GS.03.04: identify, describe, compare and classify two-dimensional shapes, e.g., parallelogram, trapezoid, circle, rectangle, square, and rhombus, based on their component parts (angles, sides, vertices, line segments) and on the number of sides and vertices

G.SR.03.05: compose and decompose triangles and rectangles to form other familiar two-dimensional shapes; e.g., form a rectangle using two congruent right triangles, or decompose a parallelogram into a rectangle and two right triangles.

Anticipatory Set

Have the students turn and talk about the pictures that were created in the

Grandfather Tang's Story, which was read the day before. This book is about

Grandfather Tang who is the person who created the tangrams. The book tells

a fictional story about various animals. As you read the book, Grandfather

Tang creates pictures of right triangles, one parallelogram, and two small right

triangles.

Objective/Overview:

The students will be able to:

* Compose and decompose pictures using tangrams.

* Identify Lines, rays, parallel lines, right angles, obtuse and acute angles, and shapes.

* Identify parallelograms, trapezoids, and rhombuses.

Instructional Input:

1. Break students into groups of three to four students.

2. Pass out one set of tangrams per group.

3. Pass out graph paper.

4. Discuss with the students how they can create many different pictures with the tangrams.

5. Explain to the students that they will be asked to create a picture of their own using the tangrams. They will later be asked to label specific parts of their picture including lines, rays, parallel lines, right angles, obtuse and acute angles, shapes, parallelograms, rhombuses, and trapezoids.

Modeling

I will demonstrate how to use the tangrams to create a few animals in

the Grandfather Tangram Story,(Tompert) while using the overhead.

After each

tangram picture is created, I will ask the students what picture they think I

have created? I will ask the students if they can find any angles, lines,

rays, shapes, etc. in my picture? ( Model as many as needed)

* Please see following images

Tangram Dog

Tangram Fish

Tangram Rabbit

Guided Practices:

With students in their groups, have the students complete 3 tangram

animals from the Grandfather Tang Story,(Tompert) (see following slides)

together using one set of tangrams. Then have the students work together

to think of a unique picture of their own. Each student should be

responsible for making one piece of the pictures.

Guided Practice Continued

Next ask the students to label any lines rays, angles, and shapes they

may find in the picture. When finished, talk about these pictures together

and draw two sticks for two groups to show their examples on the

overhead. (Drawing sticks is done from a cup which includes every

student's name on a stick. Us these sticks instead of relying on raised

hands.)

Tangram Hawk

Tangram Fox

Tangram Lion

Independent Practice/Assessment:

Independent Practice: Have the students return to their own seats. Give each student their own full set of tangrams and their own sheet of graph paper. Have each student create a picture of their choice and label any geometric parts withy may find.

Assessment: This objective will be assessed through walking around and checking work, asking questions, and collecting work for further assessment.

Works Cited

Tompert, Ann. Grandfather Tang's Story, Crown Publishers, New York, 1990

Images only taken from:

Dawn Coleman, Tangrams, A lesson plan for grades 1-3 mathematics, LEARN North Carolina. Available on the web at http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3805?

ref=search (accessed 26 June, 2012)