Hexagons are fascinating shapes, and a great way to introduce students to basic geometry principles. They’re unique from other regular polygons, as they have six sides that are all equal in length and angles measuring 120 degrees each.
Here are some activities that you can use to teach your students about hexagons:
1. Identification activity:
This is a simple activity that allows students to recognize hexagons in shapes around them. Ask your students to find hexagons in the classroom, or even outside. You can ask students to spot hexagons on a soccer pitch, the edges of a Queen Bee’s hive, or in the pattern of a honeycomb.
2. Hexagon matching activity:
In this activity, students are presented with a variety of hexagons of different sizes, colors, and patterns. Students will need to match up hexagon A to hexagon B, and so on. This activity will help students to develop their spatial reasoning skills.
3. Hexagon puzzle:
Similar to a matching activity, this hexagon puzzle encourages students to use their problem-solving skills. The goal is to arrange identical smaller hexagons into a larger one without any gaps. This activity involves a lot of trial-and-error and is a fun challenge for students of all ages.
4. Hexagon tessellations:
Create an art project with students where they will have to invent their hexagon patterns on a paper. Then, cut out the hexagons and glue them onto another sheet of paper in a way that they fit together consistently without gaps or overlaps.
5. Hexagon building blocks:
This activity involves giving students hexagonal building blocks of different sizes, colors and patterns. Ask students to form various shapes using these blocks that reflects their real-life uses.
6. Hexagon geometry challenge:
This is a fun brain buster for advanced math students. Provide them with a series of hexagon puzzles with clues such as the size of the hexagon as well as the angles and distances between its sides. Students are tasked with finding the correct solution using math.
Hexagons are an important shape to study because they appear in nature, such as snowflakes, crystals, honeycombs, and flowers. These activities are intended to help students identify and appreciate hexagons in everyday life. Additionally, they help students develop problem-solving and pattern recognition skills while having fun.
