A New Variable
Once the class was successfully
Reflections
manipulating tans into new forms, I
When all tangrams were lined up next
introduced a new variable. I wanted to to each other, students discussed the
teach students a lesson on community diversity of solutions and how the cre-
success, and by giving each table four ative process impacted the work. Not
different colored glass puzzles, I could surprisingly, the limitations created
Student work, Lightning Bug.
add the element of color swapping into by the puzzle and the requirement of
the project. The rules were simple:
success for all were the most challeng-
trades were to be for color only, no
ing and rewarding parts of the tan-
shape changes, and everyone at the
gram project.
Getting Started
table had to have a successful solu-
To begin the project, I
tion. At first, students were wheel-
Looking to the Future
ing and dealing for colors that would explained the project objec-
Next year, I plan to incorporate a more
enhance only their own designs. The complete review of the creative pro- tives as well as the history
of tangram puzzles. Stu-
thumbnail sketches became more
cess by videotaping our class at work,
dents looked at some com-
complex as each had to show color as then going back to show students how
well as shape. mon tangram solutions and
discussed how they were
assembled. Each student
was given the seven pieces
Group Success
Eventually, to facilitate trades, each
our teamwork made each of us stron-
ger artists. I also plan to incorporate
parts of the videotape into a display
with the final projects and student
student had to start looking not only of a tangram puzzle, which
sketches so everyone will understand
were cut from a 3 x 3" ( 7. 5
at his or her individual solution, but
that challenging your brain really is
x 7. 5 cm) square of fusable
at all of the solutions in the group. If
the beginning of making great art!
glass. Because tangram
pieces must be precisely
shaped, I chose to cut the
your schedule permits, this is a great
time to introduce the book Grandfa-
ther Tang’s Story by Ann Tompert.
Brenda Fee is a glass artist and teacher
from McKinney, Texas.
glass before class started.
In this book, two shape-changing fox
fairies have a competition to change Students were divided into
groups of four, and each
into a variety of tangram shapes. The Students identify connections
student was given a differ-
competition is ended when danger
between the visual arts and other dis-
ciplines in the curriculum.
ent colored set of tans. To
forces the characters to work together.
begin, each student could
only design with one col-
Assembling Final Pieces
Glass pieces were assembled and ored set of tans. Design was
glued to a 4½ x 6" ( 11. 5 x 15 cm) fus- to be based purely on shape.
