Tangrams
Explore geometric shapes and try to solve tangram puzzles!
What You Need
- 1 cardstock sheet with the Tangram Template.
- 3 coloured 1/2 sheets of card stock
- 1 page of black tangram puzzles
- 1 folded 'answer sheet' with coloured puzzles
Guide:
Additional:
- Visit Tangram Puzzle Sheets and Solutions to choose the tangram puzzles for this activity.
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to safe virtual outreach to youth.
What To Do
- Cut out the tangram pieces on the white cardstock template.
- Mix them up and try to put them back together into the square shape again.
- Using the black tangram puzzle shapes, try to create the shapes using all 7 tangram pieces (called tans). The pieces/tans cannot overlap and all must be used.
- If struggling, take a look at the answer sheet!
- Try another shape or make some shapes/designs of your own!
If you want your shapes to have more colour, you can trace the white pieces/tans onto the coloured card stock.
Discovery
The tangram idea came from China more than 200 years ago. It is a square that is divided into 7 pieces called tans that are geometric shapes. The tangram has 3 different sizes and types of triangles, 1 square and 1 parallelogram. The pieces of the puzzle can be put together in many different ways to make many shapes. Most puzzles can only be arranged in one way. What other shapes do you know of that aren't in a tangram?
Guide:
Additional:
- Visit Tangram Puzzle Sheets and Solutions to choose the tangram puzzles for this activity.
What's Happening?
The tangram idea came from China more than 200 years ago. It is a square that is divided into 7 pieces called tans that are geometric shapes. The tangram has 3 different sizes and types of triangles, 1 square and 1 parallelogram. The pieces of the puzzle can be put together in many different ways to make many shapes. Most puzzles can only be arranged in one way. What other shapes do you know of that aren't in a tangram?
Resources
Guide:
Additional:
- Visit Tangram Puzzle Sheets and Solutions to choose the tangram puzzles for this activity.