The Tangram

The tangram is an ancient Chinese puzzle that consists of seven geometric pieces called "tans", which combine to create an infinite number of figures. This entertaining game is an effective teaching tool to develop different skills in primary school students. But what educational benefits does it have? How can it be incorporated effectively into the classroom? 

Tangram originated in China, although it is not known when it was invented, it became popular in the 19th century and spread to Europe and America. The game consists of a square divided into seven geometric parts: five triangles of different sizes, a square and a parallelogram. These pieces must be rearranged in different ways.

The educational benefits of Tangram are many. It improves the development of spatial skills, such as visualization and manipulation of shapes in space, by moving the pieces and creating figures, improves the ability to imagine different perspectives. Critical thinking and problem solving are also encouraged, as by planning and testing different combinations of pieces to form the desired figure, logical thinking and perseverance are encouraged. 

In addition, without a doubt, it improves the understanding of basic geometric concepts, such as areas, angles and symmetries. This understanding will be deeper if practical and tangible activities are carried out such as manipulating the Tangram pieces. This leads to the stimulation of creativity since it consists of creating your own figures.

Some strategies to incorporate Tangram in the classroom are to implement introductory activities to geometry. The teacher can ask students to identify and describe the shapes of the tangram pieces, compare them and explore their relationships. Problem-solving games, such as forming specific shapes with all the pieces, encourage collaboration and group work. 

Another interesting activity would be creating figures with tangrams and stories based on their creations, it is a creative and educational activity. This activity combines and promotes mathematical thinking and language skills. Tangram can be integrated with other subjects such as art, history and physical education. Children can research the history of Tangram, create artwork based on tangram shapes, and participate in physical activities that involve forming tangram shapes in cooperative groups.

Tangram is a versatile and effective learning method that enriches learning in primary education and promotes the comprehensive development of students. Bringing Tangram to the classroom with playful activities makes learning more fun and provides a solid foundation for their future education.