In this feature for Primary teachers, you will find tasks to help learners develop their flexibility in a geometrical context. A flexible approach applies to a range of situations - perhaps being stuck on a problem and being flexible to try an alternative path; perhaps recognising that a task can have more than one solution; perhaps checking a solution using a different approach; or perhaps thinking flexibly to create a new problem related to one you have just tried. We hope you enjoy sharing these tasks with your classes.
Let's get flexible with geometry
Board block
Take it in turns to make a triangle on the pegboard. Can you block your opponent?
Repeating patterns
Try continuing these patterns made from triangles. Can you create your own repeating pattern?
Jig shapes
Can you each work out what shape you have part of on your card? What will the rest of it look like?
Paper partners
Can you describe a piece of paper clearly enough for your partner to know which piece it is?
Tangrams
Can you make five differently sized squares from the interactive tangram pieces?
Shadow play
Here are shadows of some 3D shapes. What shapes could have made them?
Tangram tangle
If you split the square into these two pieces, it is possible to fit the pieces together again to make a new shape. How many new shapes can you make?
Tangram browser
Shape draw
Use the information on these cards to draw the shape that is being described.
Always, sometimes or never? Shape
Are these statements always true, sometimes true or never true?
Guess what?
Can you find out which 3D shape your partner has chosen before they work out your shape?
Stringy quads
This practical problem challenges you to make quadrilaterals with a loop of string. You'll need some friends to help!
Square tangram