The Heartbreaking Puzzle Subject: Geometry Grade: 3-5, 6-8

Brief Description

Students assemble and reassemble pieces from a heart-shaped puzzle to form a variety of geometric shapes.

Objectives

Students practice spatial visualization skills as they experiment with creating geometric shapes.

Keywords

geometry, shapes, puzzle

Materials Needed

• The Heart Breaking Puzzle work sheet, one for each student
• 81/2- by 11-inch paper, several sheets for each student
• pencils

Lesson Plan

Print and distribute The Heart Breaking Puzzle work sheet and provide students with the following directions:

• Cut out the pieces of the heart puzzle and make as many shapes as you can using all nine pieces. The pieces must be placed edge to edge and can't overlap.
• Make a record of the shapes you create by tracing or drawing an outline of each.

Extension: As an extension activity, have students reproduce shapes you design and then have them reassemble the puzzle pieces into a heart.

Note: The lesson plan for The Heart Breaking Puzzle work sheet is available online.

Assessment

Evaluate students on the number of shapes they create using all nine pieces of the puzzle.

Lesson Plan Source

Education World (with resource from AIMS Education Foundation Puzzle Corner)

Submitted By

National Standards

Mathematics:
  NM.K-4.9
  NM.5-8.12