Shapely sea creatures
This is a level 2 geometry activity from the Figure It Out theme series. A PDF of the student activity is included.
About this resource
Figure It Out is a series of 80 books published between 1999 and 2009 to support teaching and learning in New Zealand classrooms.
This resource provides the teachers' notes and answers for one activity from the Figure It Out series. A printable PDF of the student activity can be downloaded from the materials that come with this resource.
Specific learning outcomes:
- Identify two-dimensional shapes in drawings.
Shapely sea creatures
Achievement objectives
GM2-4: Identify and describe the plane shapes found in objects.
Required materials
- Figure It Out, Levels 2–3, Theme: Under the Sea, "Shapely sea creatures", page 5
- pattern blocks
- a classmate
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Shapely sea creatures activity (.pdf)
Activity
Students will need to know or be familiar with the names and properties of the shapes found in a pattern block set:
Pattern blocks are designed with equal side lengths so that they can be used for tiling (tessellations).
Students may notice that some blocks are composites of others:
This structural feature becomes more apparent when students trace around the silhouette of their sea creature and then give the silhouette to a partner to complete.
Activity 1
a. Triangles and a rhombus
b. Triangles and an octagon
c. Triangles and a hexagon
d. Triangles and a trapezium
e. A hexagon
f. Triangles and a square
g. Trapezia and a triangle
Activity 2
Answers will vary.
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