### Rectangles with Dominoes

Can you make a rectangle with just 2 dominoes? What about 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...?

### Chain of Changes

Arrange the shapes in a line so that you change either colour or shape in the next piece along. Can you find several ways to start with a blue triangle and end with a red circle?

### Sorting Shapes

This activity challenges you to make collections of shapes. Can you give your collection a name?

# Making Shapes

### Why do this problem?

This problem links shape with factors and multiples, and is a great way to introduce children to the idea of visualising numbers - in this case as rectangles.

### Possible approach

You might like to use the interactivity on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector initially and ask for a volunteer to make one rectangle to begin with. Once the group has grasped the idea of where counters can be placed, they can explore in pairs. Allowing them time to investigate in this way is very valuable, but you might like to bring the whole class together at various stages in order to discuss what they have found so far.

Opportunities for use of language associated with shape and space are plentiful, and children will find it necessary to talk about the properties of rectangles. They can be encouraged to think about whether a square is a rectangle or not and will begin to mathematically justify opinions. The problem allows children to explore factors and multiples in a tactile way, and you can encourage them to talk about whether $2\times3$ is the same as $3\times2$.

Counters on a grid are equally useful for investigating this problem if you are not using the interactivity.

### Key questions

How about starting with a small number of counters and working up?
How will you know that you haven't missed any out?

### Possible extension

Introduce more counters for children to continue the investigation.

### Possible support

Using $2$cm squared paper and counters will help children to access this task.