More Tangram Literature Connections

Grandfather Tang's Story by Ann Tempert

This book also uses tangrams to illustrate the story a grandfather tells his granddaughter.   Students will enjoy recreating the tangram creatures found throughout the book. 

•  Suggestion:  Assemble the tangram pieces to replicate figures in the book.   Trace around the outside of the figures then fill in the shape with black marker.   These are best traced onto oaktag or card stock and laminated or placed in plastic sheet protectors before use.   Place the tangram characters and tangram pieces in your math center for students to try during center time.
• Enrichment:  Ask students to create a new character for the book and make a tangram mat for the character that can be added to the tangram center for classmates to try. 

 Tangram Magician  by Lisa Campbell Ernst

This book is similar to Grandfather Tang's Story  in that the magician changes shapes throughout the story.  Students may use tangrams to reproduce the shapes.

The Tangram ABC Book  by T. Foster

The author presents several tangrams for each letter.  For example, the letter A is presented as an armadillo and an airplane tangram.  Once again, students may recreate these shapes using their own tangram sets.

• Suggestion:   younger students may have eye-hand coordination difficulty trying to recreate a shape from a smaller drawing in the book.  Teachers may wish to assemble and trace the tangram shapes on card stock, showing the placement of each piece.  Younger learners are challenged to correctly identify, place and orient the tangram pieces to recreate each shape.

Then and Now on Old MacDonald's Farm by T. Foster

The author uses tangram shapes to retell the traditional story.  Teachers may add this book to a farm or animal unit and challenge students to recreate each animal using their own tangrams.