Geometric Mosaics

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Math and art go hand in hand with these colorful geometric mosaics. Share with students the various shapes-circle, square, triangle, and rectangle-and let the mosaic-making begin.

OBJECTIVE
Students will learn basic geometric shapes--circle, triangle, square, and rectangle--and practice fitting them together to make larger mosaics.

MATERIALS

Fiskars scissors, shape tracers, colorful paper, glue.

REPRODUCIBLES

• Shape Tracers
• Mosaic Template: Flower
• Mosaic Template: Turtle

SET UP AND PREPARE
1. Before you teach students the various geometric shapes, review what makes a shape: edges, or sides, and verticles, or points, where the edges come together.

2. Next, review the various shapes you'll be working with in this lesson.

• A circle is made up of one connected curve. Each place on the curve is the same distance from the center of the circle.
• A triangle has 3 edges, and 3 verticles.
• A square has 4 edges, equal in length, and 4 verticles.
• A rectangle has 4 edges (2 long and 2 short) and 4 verticles.
  

3. Discuss with students where these various shapes appear in everyday life.

DIRECTIONS

1. Have students use the shape tracers to trace and cut out approximately 10 copies of each shape. Keep each shape the same color to avoid confusion (for example, all triangles should be red, all squares should be blue).

2. Once shapes have been cut, pass around the mosaic templates. Have students glue the shapes in their designated spot in the mosaics.

3. Once mosaics have been completed, ask students to record the number of triangles they used in each mosaic, the number of circles, and so on.