Third-grade students at Yusuf Bayık Primary School in Türkiye participated in an engaging pilot activity using the STEAM-based game “Nature Tangram.” This 45-minute session invited students to recreate the seven Tangram shapes using natural materials such as sticks, stones, leaves, and cones, enhancing their visual–spatial intelligence, creativity, and understanding of geometric forms.
By bringing a traditional puzzle into the outdoors, the activity turned mathematics into an exploration-based learning adventure.
Students began by collecting natural materials from the school garden and experimenting with building geometric shapes. Physically touching and assembling these shapes helped them grasp geometric properties more deeply.
Reconstructing the seven Tangram pieces allowed students to explore area, perimeter, and proportion relationships through hands-on experimentation. Trial and error encouraged active mathematical reasoning.
Working in groups, students developed strategies for using natural materials efficiently, building teamwork and problem-solving skills.
The activity provided several key benefits:
- improved visual–spatial reasoning,
- enhanced creativity and design thinking,
- increased environmental awareness,
- strong emotional engagement from learning outdoors.
“Nature Tangram” demonstrated that geometry can be fun, meaningful, and memorable when paired with creativity, nature, and experiential learning.
