Teacher Information: Isometric Geoboard

As with the regular Geoboard, the Isometric Geoboard can be used by students at many different grade levels, to support a great many mathematical concepts.

Older students may explore more challenging questions of area and shape, optimization and counting ("Find a triangle with a given area having the smallest possible perimeter," or "Count the number of equilateral triangles of all possible sizes within this triangle.")

Display a variety of open and closed shapes. Ask students to copy one or more on the geoboard. Similarly, display the name of a shape such as special triangle or diamond or parallelogram and have students create that shape on the geoboard.

Have students describe and compare characteristics of individual shapes. Gradually encourage or incorporate use of more specific geometric terminology.

Encourage students to build "unusual" polygons and invite a partner to illustrate how complex shapes are combinations of triangles or quadrilaterals.

Many activities appropriate for isometric geoboards can be duplicated on the rectangular, circular, and coordinate geoboards. Students will benefit from comparing and contrasting shapes drawn from multiple perspectives.

The isometric geoboard allows the construction of equilateral triangles and hexagons that are not possible on rectangular geoboards, and younger students may enjoy the construction of "3-D perspective" figures. Older students can work with the visualization of three-dimensional shapes. "How many blocks are contained in this solid?" "From this top perspective, construct a figure that would we would see from the front." Combine the perspective views from Isometric Geoboard with solid figures made of blocks.