Authors: Tammie Donohoe and Tiffany Fascianella

Grade: 3                                                                      

Integrated Discipline: Math

Nebraska Standards:

4.4.1 By the end of fourth grade, students will identify, describe, and create two- and three dimensional geometric shapes.

 Objectives:

1. Students will cut out parts to make tangrams from a square.
2. Students will be able to make one picture with tangrams from worksheet.
3. Students will be able to make their own picture from tangrams.

 Assessment:

1. Make tangrams from cutting out the shapes from a square.
2. Students’ ability to make one picture from worksheet with tamgrams.
3. Students’ ability to make their own picture using tangrams.

 Provisions for Special Needs:

            Provide tangrams that have thickness to them for easier manipulating.

 Materials:

Procedure:

Anticipatory Set:

1. Show students tangrams in a square and ask if they know what it is.
2. Show the tangram pieces separated and ask what shapes they are.
3. Explain tangrams are way to tell a story by making pictures and it is from the Chinese people from long ago.
4. Explain to the students they are going to make their own tangrams from the square piece of cardstock paper.

 Activity:

1. Pass out square cardstock paper with the outline of the shapes to cut and scissors.
2. Tell students to cut on the dotted line.
3. Show students a picture from the worksheet and show them how to make it using tangrams.
4. Explain that they will have to move and turn pieces in many different directions and possibly even make a new shape by combining them.
5. Give each student a worksheet with a picture and have them work on making it.
6. If needed they can work with a partner.
7. After finishing, they will show what they made and explain how they figured it out.

 Conclusion:

1. Then the students will make a picture of their own using the tangrams.
2. When finished they will explain what they made and how they made it.
3. Students will put pieces into Ziploc plastic bags when finished.

 Reference:

            http://www.tangram.i-p.com

 Reflections:

 Tiffany:

            The girls cut out there own Tangrams and afterwards they made their own shapes with them. This process was fun, but it also turned out to be difficult for them. A few of the girls seemed frustrated. If I did this lesson again I would made sure I had a specific format for them to follow and that I too was aware exactly how to made different shapes.