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Tangram

Sections

Cub Scouts Scouts

Challenge Areas

Creative

Scout Method Elements

Learning By Doing Personal Progression Patrol System Youth Leading, Adults Supporting

SPICES Growth Areas

Intellectual Social

The Adventure

Use 7 basic shapes to build larger images and improve your problem solving and visual spatial skills

Plan

  1. Investigate different basic 2D shapes. What types of shapes are there and what sort of properties do they have?
  2. Investigate tangrams. Where did they originate and how do they work?
  3. Read the safety information and discuss with your leaders or another appropriate adult what safety equipment, precautions, and supervision may be required. Ensure that you have these safety measures in place before starting the ‘Do’ section.
  4. Gather all the equipment that you need to make your tangram. You will need 2 large right angle triangles, 1 medium sized right angle triangle, 2 small right angle triangles, 1 small square, and 1 parallelogram. If using paper for your tangrams, you may find this template useful to get the required pieces. If the pieces are not already pre-cut, you will need a pair of scissors. You may find it beneficial to print the template on card or a thicker paper than standard printing paper.

Do

  1. Cut your tangram pieces so that you have all seven pieces.
  2. Arrange the tangram pieces to form a square, making sure to use all the pieces.
  3. Try using different numbers of tangram pieces to form triangles.
  4. See what other images you can make using the tangram pieces. What animals can you make? Try racing others to see who can make each animal quickest.

Review

  1. Did you successful manage to make a square and other shapes/images? If not, what do you think went wrong?
  2. What could you do differently to improve your images?
  3. What did you enjoy most about exploring tangrams?

Safety

  • Sharps warning: If the tangram shapes are not pre-cut, youth members may cut the tangram pieces with scissors. Adult supervision should be provided.
  • When tangrams are being explored with paper, there is the risk of paper cuts and therefore care should be taken.

Variations

  • Try super-sizing your tangram by making the pieces out of larger bits of cardboards or EVA foam play mats. Adult supervision and assistance should be utilised when cutting these materials.
  • There is no limit to what images you can create with your tangram pieces. Some ideas include a turtle, a panda, a whale, a fish, a house, and a plane.