Friday, January 26, 2018

Repeating Patterns: Set Three

       These repeating patterns combine multiple tiles to suggest more complicated designs that require coordinated placements.

Answers for the geometric puzzle shapes...

Make geometric, puzzle shapes using pattern blocks...

       This game is a little bit more difficult than the last. Have an adult read the directions aloud or if you can read, read them to yourself and follow the instructions. 
       Then, select tiles that are the same as those shown in each photograph and by manipulating their color, number and placement you can make more difficult shapes. 
       To concentrate on only one photograph at a time, simple click directly on each image to see that selection with a black background.
Puzzle One.
Using six trapezoids and one hexagon, shape a much larger hexagon.
Puzzle Two.
Form a large blue star shape using six smaller rhombuses/diamond tiles.
Puzzle Three.
Assemble three trapezoids, five triangles and
one rhombus to make a larger triangle.
Puzzle Four.
Make a large green triangle from nine smaller green triangles.
 Puzzle Five.
Make a large triangle using three small triangles
 and six, blue rhombuses.
Puzzle Six.
Assemble a twelve pointed star using
twelve white rhombuses.
 Puzzle Seven.
Use one yellow hexagon, one red trapezoid, three green triangles,
and two blue rhombuses to make one large triangle.
 Puzzle Eight.
Assemble a large hexagon using six small triangles.
 Puzzle Nine.
Use three red trapezoids, three green triangles and
two blue rhombuses to make a large triangle.
Puzzle Ten.
Shape the center of a larger hexagon using three blue rhombuses
and the outer sides of this hexagon with red trapezoids.
Puzzle Eleven.
Use a rhombus, a triangle and a trapezoid to make the center
of a flower including six, yellow hexagon petals.
Puzzle Twelve.
Use the shapes above: two trapezoids, two triangles and
two rhombuses to make one large trapezoid.

Answers for simple shapes made from pattern blocks

Check the corresponding numbers to see the problems and 
match the numbers above for answers to those problems.

Make larger shapes from smaller pattern blocks...

       Here is a simple game for you to play with your Pattern blocks. Select tiles that are the same as those shown in each photograph. Then have an adult read the directions aloud or if you can read, read them to yourself and follow the instructions.
       To concentrate on only one photograph at a time, simple click directly on each image and students may view that selection with a black background.

1. Make one larger square from four small square tiles.
2. Make a trapezoid using two green triangles
and one yellow hexagon.
3. Using three green triangles and one yellow
hexagon, make one large triangle.
4. Shape a larger green rhombus using two
 smaller green triangles.
5. Make one large trapezoid with one green
triangle and one blue rhombus.
6. Shape a larger orange rectangle by putting
two smaller orange squares together.
7. Using four blue rhombuses, make one large rhombus.
8. Use four small, green triangles to make
one larger, green triangle.
9. Use two rhombuses/diamonds and two
small triangles to make one large hexagon.
10. Use a trapezoid plus one triangle in
order to shape a larger triangle.
11. Make one large trapezoid using three smaller triangles.
12. Make one larger rhombus from four
smaller white rhombuses.
13. Use two small, red trapezoids to make
one larger red hexagon.

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Crafty Math Index

Pictures of artifacts in my Math Collection Below.
        Mathematics, a general term for a number of branches of learning that deal with magnitudes, numbers and quantities and their relations. In the primary grades small pupils learning the elementary facts of arithmetic are studying mathematics, just as truly as the college student who solves intricate problems in trigonometry and calculus. Between primary and college mathematics there are many other mathematical subjects of varying grades of difficulty.
Dot Painting Activities:
Cut and Paste Shape (Geometry) Designs:
Number Book Ideas and Patterns: For many years teachers have helped literally hundreds of thousands of young students craft their very own little number scrap books! I will include my templates here to add to the constant flow of imagination that accumulates in the files of educators who work in public/private preschools, kindergartens and elementary schools. Fill my little number books up with photographs, recipes, poems, and drawings to your heart's delight!
Using Basic Shapes/Blocks To Teach Math, Spacial Relationships, Problem Solving and Number Sense:
Using Basic Shapes (Geometry) to Teach Drawing:
Tangram Articles & Activities:
Lots of Play-Doh, playdough, clay play mat patterns:
Learn to Color Your Numbers:

Christmas tree with a star...

"a festive Christmas tree" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this figurative Christmas design:
  1. You will need seventeen rhombuses to complete this design how many of them will be blue?
  2. How many triangles will it take to turn your Christmas tree's stand green instead of red?
  3. How many trapezoids could be used to replace the green triangles inside the branches?
  4. Copy the Christmas tree and stand above in your own work space. Give your tree a blue star only.

poinsettia in a planter...

"a planter full of poinsettia" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this figurative, festive design:
  1. Count the number of trapezoids it will take for you to assemble a duplicate design.
  2. How many rhombuses will it take to turn the stems of these poinsettia blue instead of green?
  3. Put together a similar potted poinsettia including only one blossom.

Christmas wreath...

"a Christmas wreath" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this figurative holiday design:
  1. How many triangles will it take to copy this wreath design and eliminate the red bow altogether?
  2. How could you assemble a similar wreath by moving the red bow to the top of it's display instead of the bottom? Show this design on top of your desk or table.

Saint Nicholas...

"Saint Nicholas" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this inspirational figurative design:
  1. How many rhombus tiles were used to form this old Saint's beard?
  2. How many rhombus tiles were used to suggest his fur lined coat?
  3. In total, how many trapezoids does it take to put his costume together?
  4. Now shape your own Saint Nicholas figure on top of your work space.

water lily...

"water lily" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this figurative garden design:
  1. How many hexagons form the flower petals of this water lily?
  2. How many triangles form the stem?
  3. Count the number of rhombuses used to keep this water lily floating.
  4. How many rhombuses are used to pollinate this tile plant?
  5. Copy the water lily above on top of your desk using twenty-three triangles, eliminating the hexagons. Hint - your water lily should turn green.

a stocking for Christmas...

"Christmas stocking" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this Christmas figurative design:
  1. How many different shapes can you spy inside this stocking design?
  2. Where is the hexagon?
  3. Assemble a toy that you would like to find stuffed inside your own Christmas stocking.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

baby Jesus...

"baby Jesus" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this Christian figurative design:
  1. How many rhombuses are used above to suggest a star hanging in the night sky?
  2. What kind of shape is used to symbolize the baby's head?
  3. How many trapezoids are used to suggest the manger and the baby's blanket?
  4. Now copy the same image above using your own Pattern Blocks.

small fir tree...

"a small simple Christmas tree or fir tree" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this holiday figurative design:
  1. Count 17 triangles present in this simple Christmas tree.
  2. Make your own version of this Christmas design by adding an extra row of nine green tiles.
  3. How many six-sided shapes are formed inside this little tree?
  4. Can you remove seven triangles from this tree but still make the design look like a tree of the same size?

super hero shield...

"a super hero shield" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.
Questions/Activities for this heroic figurative design:
  1. How many squares are configured inside this design?
  2. Count and the number of rhombuses shaped by the tiles in this design.
  3. Can you create a similar shield by changing the blue tiles to green?

flower garden...

"flower garden" Click directly on the image to enlarge it.

Questions/Activities for this floral figurative design:
  1. Find all 32 triangles shaped by the tiles in this design!
  2. Can you trace the outlines of star shapes in this garden picture?
  3. Now assemble your own flower garden repeating only one of the flowers above. Then add two different flower patterns that you have made up yourself.