Say, “We have been doing a lot of work with shapes. You have seen how real-life objects are made of shapes, and you have used shapes to make pictures of animals. Today we are going to see how shapes can be put together to make new shapes.”
Read the following problem to the class: “Mario and his mom baked a cake in a rectangular pan. Mario cuts a straight line through the pan to make two large pieces. What shapes could Mario make by cutting a straight line through the cake?”
Give each student a piece of paper and pencil or a whiteboard and markers and have him/her draw a line simulating cutting the cake. Ask students to draw a straight line across the paper to show how Mario might cut the cake. Draw a large rectangle (on a whiteboard or chart paper) and ask a student to show the class how s/he drew the line. If distinct shapes are visible, such as rectangles or triangles, be sure to point them out. “Look, your line cut the rectangle into two rectangles.” Repeat this with two or three more students.
Gather students into a large circle on the floor and display the large paper pattern block shapes in the center. Hold up each shape, one at a time, and ask students to name the shape, count its sides and corners, and make other observations.
Move all the shapes to one side and leave a rhombus in the middle on the floor. “If this rhombus were a cake and I cut it into two pieces, what shapes would the pieces look like? Can anyone find two shapes from our pile that would make the shape of a rhombus? Let’s find out if these fit our rhombus cake.” As students choose shapes, test them out by placing them on the rhombus to see if they fit without overlapping or leaving gaps. Test shapes suggested by students until the correct shapes are chosen (two green triangles). Place the triangles on the rhombus and talk about how they cover the rhombus without overlapping or hanging over the edge.
Distribute several pattern blocks to pairs of students. Or use pattern-block-shape cards (M-K-4-1_Pattern Block Shape Cards.doc) if pattern blocks are unavailable. Ask them to find the blue rhombus and cover it with the two shapes that cover it completely. Check for understanding by making sure everyone used two green triangles.
“Find the red trapezoid.” Hold up a paper model. “Use some of your pattern blocks to cover the whole shape. You may have to turn or flip some of your blocks to make them fit.” Show them how this might look by flipping or turning a paper model. When pairs have produced one solution, challenge them to find another way to cover the trapezoid with other shapes.
“Now find the yellow hexagon and find shapes that will cover it.” Walk around and observe pairs as they work. Ask questions to determine which students can name the shapes they are using and if they are grasping the main points of the activity.
“You have been using shapes like triangles to make bigger shapes like trapezoids. Now you are going to use the pattern block shapes to make even bigger shapes or pictures. Find four squares and see if you can put them together to make a bigger square; the small squares should be touching each other.” Check to see if all pairs are successful.
“Now use four triangles to make a bigger triangle.” Choose a pair of students to model a correct solution using the large paper models and allow time for all pairs to create the same large triangle. “Now use four triangles to make a new shape or picture design. Make sure each triangle is touching at least one other triangle.” Students will share completed shapes in small groups.
Ask students to look at their designs and decide if any part could be covered with other pattern blocks without changing the design. Walk around to check for understanding and make suggestions as needed.
Choose one pair to model a successful attempt using the large paper shapes. Discuss how shapes may have been flipped or turned to cover the design without hanging over or changing the design.
Give students time to explore using a set of six pattern blocks (include at least one triangle) to create new pictures or designs. Remind students that each shape must touch another shape. Give each pair two pieces of drawing paper and ask students to draw two of their designs using colored pencils. Suggest that they could trace around the blocks. (Pattern block stickers or stencils could be used instead.) Have them each choose one drawing and give it a name.
Share drawings with the whole group and discuss similarities and differences. Encourage students to sort the drawings according to one of the similarities they suggested.
Extension:
- Routine: Ask one student to create a design using six to ten pattern blocks on an overhead projector while it is turned off. Encourage the student not to leave spaces where edges meet. Turn the projector on. Choose students to name the shapes the student used to make the design. Have one student recreate the design, also on the overhead, using some of the same shapes but try to use new blocks that will create the same shapes.
Prepare baggies filled with different shapes. Throughout the year, as a quick transition activity, pass out baggies and allow students to experiment making different shapes.
- Small Group: Work with students to build their own pictures using a set of four to six pattern blocks. Challenge them to cover their designs with larger blocks, or go a step further and replace the smaller shapes with the larger one and notice how the overall design does not change. Guide them in learning how to flip and turn shapes to fit without gaps, overlaps, or hanging over. Students could cover their designs with a piece of white paper and use a crayon to make a rubbing of their design. (To make a rubbing, the student will hold the paper in place with one hand and with the other hand rub a crayon across the paper over the top of the shapes until all shapes in the design are visible.)
- Workstation: Provide a set of pattern blocks and blackline masters (M-K-4-3_Duck, Turtle, and Fish Patterns.doc), or find published pictures. Students will use different combinations of blocks to cover the larger picture. If you want a sample of students’ work, students could trace the shapes they used to cover the picture on the blackline master, use pattern block stickers to show their work, or cover their design with a piece of white paper and use a crayon to make a rubbing of their design.
- Expansion: Students can go to Web sites and further explore pattern block manipulations (see Related Resources). Provide students with their own set of blocks and have them try to recreate the shapes on paper they are making on the computer. If they want, they can trace the shapes and images they create. Encourage students to share their drawings with others to see if they can show the image using different shapes.
