Jennifer Koller
Lori Maddox
Jennifer Freeman
Sandra Kaai
TANGRAM QUILT LESSON
TOPIC OF LESSON: Fun with tangrams
ANTICIPATED LENGTH OF TIME: 40 minutes
SUBJECT AREA: Math and social studies
MATERIALS NEEDED: Square paper for each student, tangram sheet,
glue, string, scissors, animal pattern sheet
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS: This is an imaginative and
exploratory lesson. Students will listen to directions then may talk quietly
as they design their piece of quilt.
OBJECTIVE: The students will manipulate different tans to design
their own tangram for a class quilt and explain why they chose their design.
ANTICIPATION: Discuss tangrams, their background, characteristics,
and how it’s relative to math.
PROCEDURES:
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Introduce Grandfather Tang’s Story by Ann Tompert and discuss quilts.
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Hand out colored tangram sheets and have students cut out the pieces.
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Tell them that they’ll be manipulating pieces throughout the reading of
the story.
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As characters appear in the story, stop and allow students time to construct
them with their cut outs. Students are not to glue their shapes at this
point!
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At conclusion of the story, students will have had the chance to construct
all characters.
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Have them choose their favorite animal or any other design.
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Hand out quilt squares and glue. Have students glue their tangram to the
quilt square.
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Teachers should circulate around the room as students are gluing.
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As students finish, have them share their tangram and purpose with the
class.
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Teachers will put together class quilt as students are finishing up and
sharing.
CLOSURE: Explain that quilts are made with a lot of people’s hard
work. Ask students to notice that everyone started with the same shapes
and came up with lots of different designs.
EVALUATION: Have students explain their tangram and their reasoning
behind it.