Montessori Activity: Constructive Triangles - Small Hexagonal Box

Age: From 4 years old

Objective(s): 

1. To show the child how different triangles can create 4-sided shapes.

2. To prepare the child for geometry.

Materials:

1. The Montessori Large Hexagonal Box
2. 1 mat

Directions:

1. Show where the large hexagonal (六边形) box is kept and bring it to the mat.

2. Place the triangles randomly on the mat.

3. Show the yellow equilateral (等边三角形) triangle.

4. Take the 6 yellow triangles create a hexagon by matching the black lines.

5. Take the 3 green triangles and create a trapezoid (梯形) by matching the black lines.

6. Take the 2 red triangles and create a rhombus (菱形) by matching the black lines.

7. Take the 3 large red triangles and form an equilateral triangle.

8. Take another 3 large red triangles and form an equilateral triangle.

9. Remove 3 of the large red triangles and form a hexagon with the first red equilateral triangle.

10. Remove 2 of the gray triangles to form a rhombus.

11. Name the shapes created one by one.

12. Encourage your child to try.

Video Demonstration:

https://youtu.be/MEEDIBiUs6g


https://youtu.be/_Fg1gkSOG9U

Language:

As you go along, say the name of the shapes formed.

References:

Basic Montessori Learning Activities for Under-Fives by David Gettman

http://faculty.fullerton.edu/syen/mts/sensor/15.htm

http://www.infomontessori.com/sensorial/visual-sense-constructive-triangles-small-hexagonal-box.htm

You can find the Montessori rectangular box from amazon:

 

Montessori Acitivity: Constructive Triangles - Large Hexagonal Box

Age: From 4 years old

Objective(s): 

1. To show the child how different triangles can create 4-sided shapes.

2. To prepare the child for geometry.

Materials:

1. The Montessori Large Hexagonal Box
2. 1 mat

Directions:

1. Show where the large hexagonal (六边形) box is kept and bring it to the mat.

2. Place the triangles randomly on the mat.

3. Take the 2 red triangles and create a rhombus (菱形 língxíng) by matching the black lines.

4. Take the 2 gray triangles and create a parallelogram (平行四边形) by matching the black lines.

5. Take the 4 yellow triangles create a hexagon as shown in the picture.

6. Fold each of the outside 3 yellow triangles inwards to form an equilateral (等边三角形) triangle.

7. Unfold the 3 yellow triangles back to the hexagonal shape.

8. Name the shapes created one by one.

9. Encourage your child to try.

Video Demonstration:

https://youtu.be/mJ9vfhuEdrw

Language:

As you go along, say the name of the shapes formed.

References:

Basic Montessori Learning Activities for Under-Fives by David Gettman
http://faculty.fullerton.edu/syen/mts/sensor/14.htm
http://www.infomontessori.com/sensorial/visual-sense-constructive-triangles-large-hexagonal-box.htm

You can find the Montessori rectangular box from amazon:

 

Montessori Activity: Constructive Triangles - Blue Rectangular Box

Age: From 4 years old

Objectives: 
1. To construct all possible shapes by sliding and flipping only 2 triangles.

2. To prepare the child for geometry.

Materials:
1. The Montessori Blue Rectangular Box
2. 1 mat

Directions:
1. Show where the blue rectangular box is kept and bring it to the mat.
2. Take 2 triangles out and make a shape, saying "Let's make a shape using these 2 triangles."
3. Slide 1 triangle against the edges of the other and see the shapes formed.
4. Name the shapes created one by one.
5. Encourage your child to try.

Variations:
1. Flipping over one of the pairs to make new shapes.

Video Demonstration:

https://youtu.be/pvsOPdhX3bs

  

Language:
If the child shows interest, name the shape formed: square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus (4 equal lengths) and trapezoid.

Additional Information:
J tried this for the first time on 8 Dec. 2013 (4Y9M3D). He refused to slide the triangles, preferrbly to make his own shapes and patterns with them. Arrgghhh... some days are like that!

References:
Basic Montessori Learning Activities for Under-Fives by David Gettman
http://faculty.fullerton.edu/syen/mts/sensor/16.htm
http://www.infomontessori.com/sensorial/visual-sense-constructive-triangles-blue-rectangular-box.htm
http://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/rhombus.html
http://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/trapezoid.html

You can find the Montessori rectangular box from amazon:

 

8 Dec. 2013 (4Y9M3D) - J made a person with the triangle - head, upper body, lower body and two triangles as legs

J refused to slide the triangles to make different shapes, preferring to play with it his own way

Montessori Activity: Constructive Triangles - Rectangular Box

Age: From 4 years old

Objectives: 

1. To show different triangles can be used to make different shapes.

2. To prepare the child for geometry.

Materials:

1. The Montessori Rectangular Box
2. 1 mat

Directions:

1. Show where the rectangular box is kept and bring it to the mat.

2. Take all triangles out and spread them out randomly on the mat.

3. Show the child the gray triangle, let him feel it and say, "this is equilateral triangle.

4. Tell the child that "I am going to build different shapes with the triangle."

5. Take out 1 green triangle put it in front of you.

6. Take out the other green triangle and slide it into the previous one by matching the black line together to form a square.

7. Match the two yellow equilateral triangles by the black lines to form a rhombus (i.e. a quadrilateral all of whose sides have the same length) (菱形).

8. Match the two gray isosceles triangles (i.e. 2 equal sides triangles) (等腰三角形) by the black lines to form a rectangle.

9. Match the two yellow scalene right-angle triangles (i.e. triangle with no 2 sides of equal length) (不等边三角形) by the black line to form a parallelogram (平行四边形).

10. Repeat for all the remaining pairs of triangles to form different shapes e.g. the different parallelograms and a trapezoid (梯形) etc.

11. Mix all the triangles up again and encourage the child do it.

12. Show the child how to place the triangles back into the box in the correct order: red triangles, yellow triangles, green triangles and the gray triangle.

Video Demonstration:

Control of Error:

The black lines

Language:

If the child shows interest, name the shape formed: square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus and trapezoid.

References:

Basic Montessori Learning Activities for Under-Fives by David Gettman
http://faculty.fullerton.edu/syen/mts/sensor/13.htm
http://www.infomontessori.com/sensorial/visual-sense-constructive-triangles-rectangular-triangles.htm

You can find the Montessori rectangular box from amazon:

http://amzn.to/24oMh65

Montessori Activity: Constructive Triangles - Triangle Box

Age: From 4 years old

Objectives: 
1. To show the child that the different triangles all make up an equilateral triangle (i.e. a triangle with 3 equal sides.)

2. To prepare the child for geometry.

Materials:
1. The Montessori Triangular Box
2. 1 mat

Directions:
1. Show where the triangular box is kept and bring it to the mat.
2. Take all triangles out and spread them out randomly on the mat.
3. Show the child the gray triangle, let him feel it and say, "this is equilateral triangle i.e. a triangle with 3 equal sides (等边三角形)."
4. Tell the child that "I am going to build the triangle like this gray one."
5. Take out 1 green triangle put it in front of you.
6. Take out the other green triangle and slide it into the previous one by matching the black line together.
7. Match the 2 yellow isosceles triangles (等腰三角形) (i.e. 2 equal sides triangles) by the black lines.
8. Match the 4 red small equilateral triangles by the black lines.
9. Mix all the triangles up again and encourage the child do it.
10. Show the child how to place the triangles back into the box in the correct order: red triangles, yellow triangles, green triangles and the gray triangle.

Video Demonstration:

Control of Error:

If the newly-constructed figures are not constructed with matching black lines and if they do not match the gray triangle.

Language:
Talk about equilateral triangle and isosceles triangle.

References:
Basic Montessori Learning Activities for Under-Fives by David Gettman
http://faculty.fullerton.edu/syen/mts/sensor/12.htm
http://www.infomontessori.com/sensorial/visual-sense-constructive-triangles-triangular-box.htm
http://www.mathsisfun.com/triangle.html

You can find the Montessori triangle box from amazon:

http://amzn.to/24oMh65

28 Nov. 2013 - 4Y8M25D