Tangrams and Sweet Success

A traditional game in China is tangrams: pictures and stories told using a set of seven tans.  We read Grandfather Tang's Story and created many of the figures in the story with our own tangrams.

The rules of tangrams are simple:
1.  You must use all seven tans (pieces).
2.  All tans must touch at least one other tan.
3.  Tans may not overlap.


The rules for helping in second grade are simple, as well:
1.  Offer help (don't just bust in and start help!): "It looks like you could use some help."
2.  Offer advice and encouragement to your friend.
3.  Model it for your friend.
4.  Don't DO it for your friend!

For second grade tangrams, we also added these two rules:  1.  Count the pieces in and out of the bag (to be resourceful and responsible).  2.  No touching another person's tangrams (see helping rule 4 above).

As a class, we also touched on these important concepts for life:

• The value of "sweet success," and how struggling through a challenge makes the victory that much better (as opposed to having someone simply do it for you).  
• If we want help, we should be actively trying to do something (don't just sit there!).
• Most things that are enjoyable and/or worth doing are also challenging to some degree.
• Games have rules to make them interesting and fun.  

Tangrams also help second graders develop:

• Fine motor skills.
• Logic and problem-solving skills.
• Spatial and geometric reasoning.
• Perseverance.
• Verbal skills (helping without doing!).

I hope you are providing your second grader with many opportunities to struggle through challenges!

Here is an online tangram game at PBS Kids. 

Or even better, you can print this out, and create some of the classic tangram shapes.

Some classic tangram figures: