Geoboard
Instructions and Example Activities
Instructions
Click a rubber band and drag it to the geoboard. Place
one end of the rubber band over a node and release it.
Click and drag the other end of the rubber band over
another node and release it.
The rubber band can be clicked and dragged to different
nodes at any time.
Click a rubber band and click
Click
to delete it.
to clear your board and start over.
Uses
The following activities can be used in multiple settings.
 They can be used as whole class guided practice with a projector or
interactive whiteboard. Students can collaborate to answer questions as a
class.
 They can be used as whole class guided practice with a projector or
interactive whiteboard. Students can respond independently on a traditional
geoboard and then share their combinations.
 They can be used whole class in a setting with students responding on
laptops or tablets while the interactive is simultaneously projected at the
front of the class. The teacher can walk around the room to view individual
student answers and can also share answers for whole class discussion via
the projected interactive.
This activity focuses on students decomposing shapes. Students are asked to create a
shape on the geoboard and then divide that shape into two or more different shapes.
Level 1 and Level 2 are differentiated by the shapes that are used.
Questions to ask during the activity:
What attributes do the (rectangle) and the (squares) have that are the same?
What attributes do the (rectangle) and the (squares) have that are different?
Level 1 (triangle, square, and rectangle)
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Create a rectangle. Divide that rectangle into two squares.
Create a rectangle. Divide that rectangle into four triangles.
Create a rectangle. Divide that rectangle into one square and two triangles.
Create a rectangle. Divide that rectangle into one square and four triangles.
Create a rectangle. Divide that rectangle into eight triangles.
Create a square. Divide that square into four triangles.
Create a square. Divide that square into two triangles.
Create a square. Divide that square into three rectangles.
Create a triangle. Divide that triangle into two triangles.
Level 2 (triangle, square, rhombus, and trapezoid)
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Create a trapezoid. Divide that trapezoid into three triangles.
Create a trapezoid. Divide that trapezoid into a rhombus and a triangle.
Create a trapezoid. Divide that trapezoid into a square and two triangles.
Create a trapezoid. Divide that trapezoid into a rhombus and two triangles.
Create a trapezoid. Divide that trapezoid into four triangles.
Create a rhombus. Divide that rhombus into two triangles.
This activity focuses on students changing attributes of a shape to create another
shape. Students are asked to create a shape on the geoboard and then change that
shape into another shape.
Question to ask during the activity:
What attributes did you change to turn a (triangle) into a (square)?
Level 1 (triangle, square, rectangle)
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Create a triangle. Change the triangle into a square.
Create a square. Change the square into a rectangle.
Create a square. Change the square into a triangle.
Create a rectangle. Change the rectangle into a square.
Create a rectangle. Change the rectangle into a triangle.
Create a triangle. Change the triangle into a rectangle.
Level 2 (triangle, square, rectangle, rhombus, and trapezoid)
 Create a square. Change the square into a rhombus. Change the rhombus into a
trapezoid. Change the trapezoid into a rectangle.
 Create a triangle. Change the triangle into a square. Change the square into a
rectangle. Change the rectangle into a rhombus.
 Create a rectangle. Change the rectangle into a trapezoid. Change the trapezoid
into a rhombus. Change the rhombus into a triangle.
 Create a rhombus. Change the rhombus into a square. Change the square into a
rectangle. Change the rectangle into a trapezoid.
 Create a trapezoid. Change the trapezoid into a rhombus. Change the rhombus
into a rectangle. Change the rectangle into a square.
 Create a square. Change the square into a rectangle. Change the rectangle into
a trapezoid. Change the trapezoid into a rhombus.
Common Core Standards Addressed:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.B.4
Analyze and compare two- and three-dimensional shapes, in different sizes and
orientations, using informal language to describe their similarities, differences, parts
(e.g., number of sides and vertices/"corners") and other attributes (e.g., having sides of
equal length).
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.B.6 Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes. For
example, "Can you join these two triangles with full sides touching to make a
rectangle?"
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.1 Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles
are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation,
overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.2 Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares,
trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes
(cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to
create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.1
Virginia Standards of Learning Addressed:
K.11
The student will
a) identify, describe, and trace plane geometric figures (circle, triangle, square,
and rectangle); and
b) compare the size (larger, smaller) and shape of plane geometric
figures (circle, triangle, square, and rectangle).
1.12
The student will identify and trace, describe, and sort plane geometric figures
(triangle, square, rectangle, and circle) according to number of sides, vertices,
and right angles.
1.13
The student will construct, model, and describe objects in the environment as
geometric shapes (triangle, rectangle, square, and circle) and explain the
reasonableness of each choice.