After students are introduced to basic shapes like squares and rectangles, familiarizing them with the shape of a trapezoid can be arduous since its properties are not as simple as the properties of a square or rectangle. So, there comes the challenge to think and arrange innovative techniques to accommodate the learning needs of students.
Besides acquainting them with real-life examples of trapezoids, leveraging games and activities can work wonders by simplifying the subject matter and making it easy to comprehend its technicalities. Well, if you’re also looking for such creative exercises, then we’ve got your back. In the following section of the blog post, you’ll find a list of trapezoid games and activities that you can save in your creative toolkit to transform the learning environment and help students learn without compromising on the fun factor.
Trapping the excitement: Diving into the world of trapezoid games and activities
Games and activities can bring abstract concepts to life by providing opportunities for hands-on exploration. Educators can supplement the following activities with trapezoid-themed jokes which can captivate the students’ attention and create a lively environment.
1. Trapezoid Hunt
The Trapezoid Hunt activity can be a fun and interactive way for students to explore the concept of trapezoids. In this exciting trapezoid hunt, kids will use their keen observation skills to locate trapezoid-shaped objects hiding around the classroom or outdoors.
How to play:
- The teacher can hide trapezoid-shaped objects around the classroom or outdoors.
- Ask students to search for them.
- Once they find the trapezoids, ask them to measure the lengths of the parallel and non-parallel sides and calculate the area of each trapezoid.
This activity can help students develop their observation and measurement skills while also reinforcing their knowledge of trapezoids.
2. Trapezoid Art
The Trapezoid Art activity can be a creative and engaging way for students to express themselves while also learning about trapezoids. Get ready to let your creativity soar in this colorful trapezoid art activity.
How to play:
- Provide students with a blank canvas or paper and various art supplies such as paint, markers, and colored pencils.
- Encourage them to create their own unique trapezoid-inspired art pieces. For instance, they can make a scene of a city with houses having trapezoid roofs.
- For added fun, have a trapezoid art contest and vote on the most creative and colorful design.
This activity helps gives an opportunity to students to express themselves with vibrant colors and unique designs, and who knows? They might just create the next great trapezoid masterpiece!
3. Trapezoid Building Challenge
The Trapezoid Building Challenge can be an exciting and hands-on way for students to explore the concept of trapezoids while also developing their problem-solving and teamwork skills. In this exciting trapezoid-building challenge, kids will put their engineering and teamwork skills to the test.
How to play:
- Provide students with the required materials such as blocks, legos, or even cardboard boxes
- Challenge them to build their own trapezoid-shaped structures.
- Students can work in teams or individually to create the tallest, sturdiest, or most creative trapezoid structure.
This activity will encourage students to think outside the box and develop their spatial reasoning and engineering skills.
4. Trapezoid CSI Investigation
This exciting activity challenges students to solve a crime by analyzing evidence that includes shapes. With critical thinking and problem-solving skills at the forefront, your students will put their knowledge of trapezoids to the test and feel like real-life detectives.
How to play:
- Provide students with puzzling questions or riddles in which they need to identify the shape which is a trapezoid
- Give them clues in the form of riddles related to all the shapes. For instance, you can say, “This shape has all the equal four sides” to which students can determine that it can be either a rhombus or a square. Similarly keep giving these clues and let students identify which one is trapezoid.
- Encourage students to use their knowledge of trapezoids to determine the right shape trapezoids by determining and recalling their properties
This activity will reinforce students’ understanding of trapezoids while also encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
5. Trapezoid Puzzle Challenge
In this activity, they’ll have to use their knowledge of trapezoids to solve a unique puzzle. They’ll need to think critically about angles, sides, and parallel lines to correctly fit the pieces together and form a larger trapezoid shape.
How to play:
- To create the trapezoid puzzle pieces, use construction paper or cardboard to cut out different trapezoid shapes.
- Make sure to create at least two sets of puzzle pieces for each trapezoid to make the challenge more fun.
- Mix up the pieces from different trapezoids and have students work individually or in teams to put the puzzle pieces together to form a larger trapezoid shape.
- Encourage students to use their knowledge of trapezoids to correctly fit the pieces together.
6. Trapezoid Origami
Origami isn’t just for making paper cranes! In this activity, students will learn how to fold paper into trapezoid shapes. They’ll be able to experiment with different sizes and angles and create unique designs that showcase their newfound skills.
How to play:
- Begin by demonstrating how to fold a basic trapezoid shape using origami paper.
- Have your students practice folding the basic shape until they feel confident, and then encourage them to experiment with creating different sizes and angles.
- Provide them with different colors of origami paper to make their creations more colorful and unique.
This activity will help students exercise their fine motor skills while also reinforcing creative thinking.
7. Trapezoid Inquiry Project
Do your students ever wonder how math concepts like trapezoids are used in the real world? This activity will give them the chance to find out!
How to play:
- Have your students choose a field, such as architecture, art, or engineering, and research how trapezoids are used in that field.
- They can use books, articles, and online resources to find examples of trapezoids in action, as well as any notable figures who have used trapezoids in their work.
- After researching, have students present their findings to the class, using visual aids if possible, such as posters or PowerPoint presentations.
8. Trapezoid Tiling
Who said math can’t be creative? In this activity, your students will use trapezoid-shaped tiles to create their own unique mosaic or design. They’ll need to think carefully about how to fit the tiles together to make their vision come to life.
How to play:
- Provide your students with trapezoid-shaped tiles, either pre-made or cut out of construction paper or cardboard.
- Encourage them to experiment with creating a design or mosaic using only trapezoids.
- They can work individually or in teams, and you can challenge them to make their designs as creative and colorful as possible.
- Afterward, have students present their designs to the class and discuss how they used trapezoids in their work.
This activity will help students experiment with shapes and exercise their creative thinking skills all the while having fun with making patterns.
Conclusion
Trapezoids are unique and fascinating quadrilateral shapes that have a variety of properties and mathematical applications. Whether you’re a student looking to master trapezoid calculations or simply someone who enjoys learning about geometric shapes, trapezoid games, and activities offer a fun and engaging way to explore this unique shape.
From online math games to physical building activities, there are many ways to have fun with trapezoids and deepen your understanding of their properties and characteristics. So why not give some trapezoid games and activities a try and see where your love of geometry takes you? Who knows, you may just discover a newfound appreciation for this quirky and unconventional shape!
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,