Tangram Puzzles
http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L168
A lesson plan for grades K–2 Mathematics
In this lesson from Illuminations, students choose a picture and use all seven Tangram pieces to fill in the outline. They describe and visualize what figures look like when they are transformed through rotations or flips, or are put together or taken apart in different ways. This activity helps students to develop their spatial memory and spatial visualization skills, to recognize and apply transformations, and to become more precise in their use of vocabulary about space.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Mathematics (2004)
Grade 1
- Goal 3: Geometry - The learner will identify, describe, draw, and build basic geometric figures.
- Objective 3.03: Compare and contrast geometric figures.
- Objective 3.04: Solve problems involving spatial visualization.
Grade 2
- Goal 3: Geometry - The learner will perform simple transformations.
- Objective 3.01: Combine simple figures to create a given shape.
Kindergarten
- Goal 3: Geometry - The learner will explore the concepts of geometry.
- Objective 3.02: Compare geometric shapes (identify likenesses and differences).
- Objective 3.03: Model and use directional and positional vocabulary.
- Objective 3.04: Complete simple spatial visualization tasks and puzzles.



