A tangram is a two-dimensional re-arrangement puzzle created by cutting a square into seven pieces. Seven geometric shapes called “tans”
These tangram shapes can be fitted together as a large square, rectangle, or triangle. They can also be arranged in a variety of complex shapes, including fanciful ones.There are many ways to play with tangrams. The simplest way is to let kids create their own complex shapes. But traditionally, tangrams are treated as puzzles.
Tangrams offer kids an excellent opportunity to test out different geometric manipulations, also number sense and become familiar with the properties of the shapes they use.
But notice the triangles-big, medium, and small or are all the same shape.
Play Session Plans:
Session 1:
Give them the tangrams and let them explore the shapes.
Ask them how many different shapes that they come across and which they are. Also ask them how many small, medium and big shapes are there.
Ask them to create any design/shape that they want to. Once it is completed ask them how many shapes they have used.
Give the same number to the whole class, so that they have to take only those many shapes and create their own design and later explain one by one what they have done.
Session 2:
Ask the students to pick Braille number chit from the bag/bowl and see what number they have got and only those many shapes they have to consider and make a design out of it.
Once they are done, ask them what shape/design they did.
For the one who doesn’t know to read Braille, orally give them the numbers and follow the same instructions.
Session 3:
In the beginning ask them if they can create one story by arranging tangram shapes and narrate it to their friends, teacher.
Otherwise, tell them a small interesting story for which they have to create characters of the story and show it to the teacher/facilitator.
Session 4:
Ask the students, if they can give examples for in and around or in their surrounding the shapes they have seen in tangrams.
Ask them to take a random number of shapes without counting and make it two groups.
From each group they should create one story. And later see which story had used more shapes.
Take only 10 shapes and divide it into two groups and hold it in both the hands. Show them one hand, let them count the number of pieces it has, then ask them how many pieces will be there in the other hand.
Similarly, ask them to pair up themselves and do it with each other.
Session 5:
Once they are completely familiar with the tangrams, ask them to sort the tangrams. Let it be based on shapes, structure, length, size etc.
Then once they are done with sorting they will have a few groups and ask them what they can from each different group of tangrams. Then based on what features they sorted or grouped those tangrams.
Ask them to use only two kinds of shapes and make anything out of it pattern/design/bigger shapes