The purpose of this activity is for students to compose two-dimensional shapes into larger shapes in different ways. As students work, consider asking them to identify the shapes they are using and their attributes. During this activity, the teacher may consider taking photos of the way students composed the large triangle (third problem) and the large rectangle (fourth problem) to share during the Activity Synthesis so that students do not need to move their pattern blocks to share with the class.

• Display the work of two students for the large triangle.
• “How was the triangle created differently? Why do both ways work?” (One way used all triangles, and the other way used some triangles and a trapezoid. Both ways work because a trapezoid is the same shape as 3 triangles put together.)
• Display student work for the large rectangle.
• “Did anyone find a different way to build this shape? Why didn’t we find any other ways?” (The rectangle has square corners, and the square is the only pattern block that also has square corners.)

The purpose of this activity is for students to compose two-dimensional shapes into composite shapes and to find other smaller shapes that can make the same composite shape. Students use pattern blocks to compose a new shape, then recreate the new shape, using smaller shapes. 

• Invite previously identified students to share.
• “What do you notice about the shapes they built?” (They made a rocket. They used 6 triangles to make 1 hexagon in their first shape but used hexagons in the second shape.)
• Repeat as time allows.

• Display a page from a picture book with a lot of recognizable shapes. 
• “What shapes do you see on this page?” (The sun looks like a circle. The blanket is a rectangle. The ball is a sphere.)