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Academic Tangrams!
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It's time to review for a test! Let's play with tangrams!
What are Tangrams?
Tangram is an ancient Chinese game that is also known
as "the wisdom puzzle." The objective of this puzzle is
to fit together the seven pieces, called tans, (shown below)
so that they form a given shape.
Many shapes are possible. Several possibilities are shown below:
What are the rules for using the pieces to form these shapes?
They are quite simple. You must use all seven tans, and
they must lay flat. They must touch, and none may overlap.
It can be harder than it appears and can be a lot of fun.
We will use this ancient game to help us review!
How to Play
- The class should split into four groups.
- With each question, a representative of the team is selected to write
on the board. Each team's representative goes to the board.
- A question is asked.
- All team members can contribute by suggesting to the representative at
the board what to write.
- When a representative is done, he/she yells "done" and sits down.
- The remaining groups continue to work on the problem until all groups
complete the problem or time is called.
- The group that finishes first with the correct answer is awarded a point and
15 seconds to work on the tangram.
- A team is awarded 3 points when they place all of the pieces of the tangram correctly
to create the desired picture within their 15 second allotment.
Using the Web Tangram board
The Tangrams are presented in a Java applet.
- Click the left mousebutton to drag a piece.
- Click or hold the right mousebutton to rotate a piece.
(On Mac hold mousebutton and the command key).
- Doubleclick to flip the parallelogram.
Adaptations
If you do not have online access in your classroom, this game
can be modified for classroom review. The class is still split into
teams with questions being answered in the manner given above. The teams
begin each round of the game without any tans. When a team gives the
correct answer, they are awarded one tan. The first team to collect all 7
tans and construct the desired shape wins 3 points. For a handout of
several possible configurations for the tangram shapes, click here.