Tangram is a good book of challenging logic puzzles which has students use a combination of spatial reasoning and flexible thinking skills. Students use seven flat, magnetic geometric shapes and a flat board to complete each puzzle. Students will need to rotate the shapes to form each specific design which are provided in the book as silhouette/outline pictures. An adult can use these puzzles with a child to improve spatial reasoning skills and work together to solve the puzzles. Students who have strong visual skills might like the challenge of completing the harder puzzles on their own or even testing how long it takes them. Students can also use the opportunity to be creative and see what types of unique designs they can create on their own with seven simple shapes. While Tangram is a wonderful learning tool, some students may not enjoy the challenge.

• Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
• Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
• Presents educational concepts accurately
• Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
• Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
• Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
• Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

• Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
• Visually appealing to children in the target age range
• Adults would enjoy playing with a child
• For electronic games, gives positive or encouraging feedback
• Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
• Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

• Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
• Student should be able to use independently after first use
• Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
• Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
• Does not require excessive set-up time after first time use
• Can be fun as a single player game
• Multi-player game which fosters collaboration or cooperation
• Well-made for the cost
• For electronic games, can play without sound
• For electronic games, allows user to save work
• For electronic games, voice/sounds are appealing and pronounces words properly
• Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
• Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
• Overall - Easy to use

• Attention
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Fine Motor Skills
• Requires challenging finger movements, motor precision or physical manipulation
• Has small parts that may be difficult to manipulate (e.g. battleship pegs)
• Visual Discrimination
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Visual Motor Speed
• Requires challenging finger movements, motor precision or physical manipulation
• Has small parts that may be difficult to manipulate (e.g. battleship pegs)

Explore shape, size, comparison, spatial reasoning, patterns and designs using these brightly colored plastic geometric puzzles. Ages 5-12.