It requires students to engage in mathematical habits of mind:įinding and using strategies to tile different shapes. It helps to develop numerical reasoning.It helps students develop spatial reasoning.It’s fun! Students enjoy tiling with the pattern blocks and figuring out how many copies of different types of blocks they need in order to tile various shapes.Minimal Tilings Data Recording handout Why we like this activity In each case, when it is possible to tile the shape, students count how many blocks they used, and they notice some interesting patterns. First, they try to do this using only copies of the pattern block that corresponds to the shape being tiled (for example, using only green triangles to tile scaled-up versions of green triangles), then they try to do this using copies of pattern blocks that don’t match the shape being tiled (for example, using only green triangles to tile scaled-up versions of blue rhombi). Next, students try to tile larger and larger versions of the basic pattern block shapes. But there’s a catch: The pattern blocks different team members get to start might not be the ones they need in order to tile their shapes! Students have to cooperate with each other by exchanging pattern blocks in order for everyone to get their shape tiled. In this activity, students start by playing a team tiling game where each member of the team is given an outline of a shape and some pattern blocks, and the goal is for all team members to tile their shapes simultaneously. Given a shape, can you fit pattern blocks together to tile that shape (that is, to cover it completely without going over the edge)? What if you’re only allowed to use one type of pattern block?
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