Visual Sense: Mixed Impressions
Constructive Triangles – Large Hexagon Box
Materials A large hexagonal box
2 red obtuse-angled isosceles triangles, with a black line along the side
longer side
2 gray obtuse-angled isosceles triangles, with a black line along one of
the equal sides
6 yellow obtuse-angled isosceles triangles, with black lines as follows:
3 have a black line along one of the equal sides
3 have a black line along the longer side
1 large yellow equilateral triangle, with a black line along all sides
A rug
Purposes To show what figures can be built with an obtuse-angled isosceles
triangle that is 1/3 the size of an equilateral triangle
Indirect preparation to show that all plane geometric figures made
with straight lines are constructed of triangles
Indirect preparation for the concept of equivalence and its
application in finding the area of plane figures
Visual Sense: Mixed Impressions
Constructive Triangles – Large Hexagon Box
Age 4–5
Prerequisite small hexagon box
Presentation 1. Invite an individual child. Show the child where the boxes are kept.
Take the box to a table (or mat).
2. Remove and scatter all the pieces.
3. Taking red first, superimpose, and make the shape of a rhombus.
4. Repeat with the gray, making a parallelogram.
5. Isolate yellow triangles and bring to center. Locate yellow pieces
with only one line each. Superimpose on each other, then connect to
large triangle edges, forming a hexagon.
6. Flip smaller triangles over on their black lines into large triangle,
then reform hexagon.
7. Locate the yellow pieces with two black lines and superimpose on
each other. Build the triangle with them.
8. Superimpose this triangle onto the inner triangle of the hexagon.
9. Invite the child to build it on the solid one.
10. “Watch.” Slide off each rhombus.
11. Invite the child to superimpose each rhombus on each other.
12. Invite the child to make another figure with the gray and
superimpose on the rhombi.
Put away the materials
The large triangle first, then form the hexagon.
Remaining yellows to form an equilateral on the solid equilateral.
Gray rhombus on one side.
Red rhombus on another side.
(heights of the stacks will vary)
Control of Error None, though the black lines serve as guides
Following None
Exercises
Language None
Sensorial Games None
Pedagogical This box is used later on with the small and large hexagonal boxes
Notes to demonstrate the Theorem of Pythagoras with plane geometric
figures other than the square.
