Illustrative Mathematics
Make Your Own Puzzle
Puzzling over what geometry activity to teach next? Look no further. This simple activity teaches young mathematicians how shapes can be decomposed into smaller figures, and how smaller figures can be assembled into larger shapes. To...
Illustrative Mathematics
Overlapping Rectangle
Challenge young mathematicians' ability to compose and decompose shapes with this fun geometry puzzle. The goal is simple, locate all of the rectangles shown in a picture of three overlapping rectangles. Perform this activity as a whole...
Illustrative Mathematics
Counting Squares
Challenge young mathematicians' understanding of squares with this geometry puzzle. The task is simple, identify as many squares as possible in a 3x3 array. Allow learners to work independently or in pairs as they search for squares,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Grandfather Tang's Story
It's amazing the complex figures that can be made using only a few simple shapes. Following a class reading of the children's book Grandfather Tang's Story by Ann Tompert, young mathematicians use sets of tangrams to create models of the...
Pyro Innovations
Get into Shape
Shapes are so fun! Little ones explore, identify, and create shapes using tangrams or pattern blocks. The activity is intended to stimulate critical thinking while engaging learners through play and shape identification. Each child will...
Exploratorium
The Four-Square Quilt
Youngsters recognize that triangles can be combined together to make various shapes. The learning activity provides a series of seven steps that engage children in applying transformations to triangles. Pupils use a quilt template and...
Curated OER
Great Shapes Alive!
Compare two- and three-dimensional shapes and construct three dimensional models from two-dimensional shapes. Diagram the shapes and reflect about the process in writing.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Composing Shapes
In this exercise, students practice composing shapes. Students receive immediate feedback and have the opportunity to get hints and try questions repeatedly.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: Overlapping Rectangles
The purpose of this task is to give students an opportunity to compose and decompose polygons to make rectangles. The students will be shown a picture and are asked to count how many rectangles they see. Explanations and examples are...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: Make Your Own Puzzle
Students will cut a square into four pieces, and then will put those pieces in an envelope for another student to put together. The purpose of this task is to give students a hands-on experience with composing and decomposing geometric...
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: Grandfather Tang's Story
The purpose of this task is for students to compose two-dimensional shapes to create a composite shape using tangram pieces. The teacher will read "Grandfather Tang's Story" and the students will use tangrams to compose the animals from...
PBS
Pbs Kids: Dinosaur Train Track Star
Build a train by dragging shapes into a rectangle. Choose your level from easy (outline of shapes given) to hard (no outline of shapes).