Tetrominos

We are beginning our new Math Investigations unit: Flips, Turns & Area this week! The first subject we learn about is tetrominos.

Students will find all possible arrangements of four squares, called tetrominoes by sliding, flipping and turning.

We will work with these ideas using paper cutouts and plastic math manipulatives on larger sized graph paper.

Being able to visualize how different shapes fit in space in an important geometric skill. It also has a lot of practical aspects. For example, think of how hard it is to get a couch up a stairway and into the living room- it's really a matter of slides, flips and turns!

Part of this unit is about discovering area as a measure of a flat surface. Look for opportunities at home to talk about area with your child. For example:

Do you have square tiles covering a floor or bathroom wall? How many squares are there? Suppose you make roll-out cookies with your child. This poses a problem of area: How can you place the cookie cutters so that you cover the most area, and have the least amount of dough leftover? Do you have to rotate the cookie cutter to get the best fit?

Have a good time exploring these ideas with your child!