{Level: 2nd Grade}

Objectives:-Students will become familiar with

both the history and characteristics of tangram.
-Students will be able to identify shapes by their
attributes and properly name them.
-Students will gain an understanding of how
shapes can turn into bigger things.

Materials:

Osmo base
Osmo Tangram app
Tangram tiles
iPad 2 or higher
Grandfather Tang's
Story by Ann Tompert.

Procedure:
1. Interactive read aloud of Grandfather Tangs Story, explain to students that a tangram is an
ancient Chinese puzzle.
2. Students will be given colored construction paper. The teacher will provided guided
instruction for how to create each shape as students follow along and create their own
tangram set.
3. After students have created their sets: One at a time, the teacher will place each shape
under the projector. Asking students to first identify the shape, then discuss its characteristics
(counting the number of sides they have).
4. Once the shape has been accurately identified, students will be asked to label it within their
set. Through showing, identifying, and noting the names of our shapes (MP4 - Model with
Mathematics), students refine their mathematical communication skills.
5. Students will then participate in a teacher-guided activity that will allow them to create
other shapes using their tangram pieces:
-Ask students to create a
triangle using 2 shapes.

-Ask students to create a square

using 2 shapes.

-Ask students to create a

triangle using 4 shapes.

-Ask students to create a square

using 4 shapes.

-Ask students to create a

rectangle using 3 shapes.

*Encourage students to raise their hand & share their arrangement method with the class
using the projector.
6. Demonstrate Tangram for Osmo. Teacher will use projector for introduction. Inform
students that just like Grandfather Tang did in the book, they will also be creating various
animals, shapes, objects and humans with tangram.
Mattie Weck (Final Project: Geometry)

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7. Introduce the programs 7 tangram pieces: 2 large triangles (red & blue), 1 medium triangle
(green), 2 small triangles (purple and teal), 1 square (yellow), 1 parallelogram (orange).
8. Have students start the Tangram app on their iPads and go to Tangram.
9. Have them start on Easy and solve a few animal puzzles. When the orange bubbles start to
appear, instruct them to start solving the orange puzzles unless they find them too difficult.
10. Allow students to work independently as they create tangrams using the app. Students
should aim to have solved at least 5-8 orange puzzles and 1 castle puzzle during their time.
Assessment:
(Pre-assessment)- Students should be able to identify all 7 tangram pieces, know
congruent and similar pieces, and have had play time with tangrams creating different
shapes. Students should also be able to make a square with all 7 pieces.
(Formative)- Check to see that students followed directions by observing how their paper
pieces compare to the plastic tangram pieces.
-Monitor students conversations about their observations of the tangram pieces.
Extension Activities:
Have students create a new tangram animal and name it. Trace on a piece of paper. Then they
must write a new page for the story that could be added into the book.

Mattie Weck (Final Project: Geometry)

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