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Lesson 8 - Investigating Pattern Blocks

 

To encourage your child to have fun on the Web while learning about Investigating Pattern Blocks, here are some games and interactive activities they can do on their own or in pairs.

Goal

Use transformations and properties of congruent shapes to solve problems.

Builds Upon

Student Book pages 254-255

Instructions for Use

Pattern Blocks allows your child to use congruent shapes to solve problems.

To use Pattern Blocks, click on a shape and drag it into the workspace. Select the shape by clicking on it. Once selected, the shape can be moved to any location on the workspace. Click on the tools on the top panel to select and drag, rotate, find more information about the shape, or to clear the workspace. To remove a shape, drag it to the recycling bin.

 

Pattern Blocks 2 lets your child use transformations to solve problems.

To use Pattern Blocks 2, click on a polygon to add it to the workspace. To move the shape, click on it and drag it to a different location. Place another shape next to it, and their edges will snap together.

To rotate the shape, click on a corner and use a circular motion with the mouse. To change the colour of a shape, click on the shape and then click on the colour menu. Use the 'Zoom In' button to make the shapes larger, and the 'Zoom Out' button to make the shapes smaller. Use the 'Clone' button to make an identical shape as the active shape.

To group blocks, draw a box around all the blocks in the workspace, by holding the mouse button down and dragging a box around the shapes. Release the mouse button and the shapes within the box are grouped.

To clear the workspace, click the 'Clear' button.