Get Into Shape
A Tangram Activity
with Quadrilaterals
from the Virginia
Mathematics Teacher


Give your brain a workout with the following puzzles!

First cut out the tangram and paste it onto tag board.

Then cut apart the seven individual pieces that make up the tangram.

Follow the directions below to make the shapes.

Draw and label your solutions on another sheet of paper.

1. Use 2 pieces to make a triangle worth 10 points.

2. Use 2 pieces to make a square of 9 points.

3. Use 2 pieces to make a trapezoid worth 10 points.

4. Use 3 pieces to make a 12-point rectangle.

5. Use 3 pieces to make a 16-point square.

6. Use 3 pieces to create a 15-point parallelogram.

7. Use 4 pieces to make a 14-point square.

8. Use 4 pieces for a rectangle that equals 18 points.

9. Use 4 pieces to make a square of 20 points.

10. Use 5 pieces to create a 25-point parallelogram.

11. Use 5 pieces to make a trapezoid of 25 points.

12. Use 5 pieces to make a 22-point rectangle.





Sarah Schoenfeld, a 2nd Grade Teacher at Hollifield Station Elementary School in Ellicott City, Maryland made a Power Point presentation of this activity.

Click here to Download the Powerpoint Presentation about Tangrams

Below are photos of some of her students working on the project.










Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher