How do you build spatial reasoning, critical thinking, and problem solving skills while doing something that is fun? With tangrams! In honor of Chinese New Year, this lesson introduces your students to the Chinese puzzle of tangrams.

Give your students some early practice with shapes using this simple lesson. Young learners will have a great time creating shapes using pieces of string.

2D shapes are all around us! In this lesson students will explore the properties of four different shapes—triangles, circles, rectangles, and squares! They will learn that they can find these shapes anywhere in the world around us.

It’s magic! In this lesson, students will “magically” move shapes together to form new shapes. Clay and toothpicks equal hands-on fun! Tangram challenges are provided for those students who need that little extra challenge.

Students will love composing shapes using tangrams in this hands-on lesson! Use this plan alone or as a support lesson plan for the Tangrams: An Ancient Chinese Puzzle lesson plan.

Look all around! We can find 2D shapes inside 3D shapes wherever we go! In this lesson, students will sort shapes and recognize the 2D components of common 3D shapes.