Material from a variety of cultures may be used to teach academic content and skills. Traditional Chinese tangrams, for example, may be used to teach math (symmetry, geometric shapes, calculating areas, etc.), as well as visual arts and language arts. Research the traditional use of tangrams in Chinese story-telling. Using these pages of story forms, and referring to Ann Tompert's book, Grandfather Tang's Story (NY: Crown Publishers, 1990), try your hand at devising stories of your own.

What learning standards in your state curriculum frameworks might be enhanced with a tangram activity?

Randy Crawford, Tangrams, www.tangrams.ca. randy@tangrams.ca. Reprinted by permission of Randy Crawford.