Activities to Classify Triangles

To classify triangles, you must look at the sides and the angles at each corner. In an acute triangle, all the angles are less than 90 degrees, while an obtuse triangle has one angle greater than 90 degrees. A right triangle has one 90 degree angle. Equilateral triangles have three equal sides and three equal angles of 60 degrees each. An isosceles triangle has two equal-length sides, but in a scalene all the sides are different lengths. Observation, games and art focused on triangle classification can feel like play for your students.
  1. Triangle Hunt

    • Take a walk around your school or your neighborhood. Sketch or take pictures of all the different kinds of triangles you see. Keep track of how many of each kind you find. Trade pictures with a partner and challenge one another to identify the triangles in each collection.

    Triangle Bingo

    • Create a triangle bingo game. In addition to the triangle types, use different triangle colors to give you more matching options. For instance, have spaces and calling cards for blue isosceles, red scalene and green equilateral triangles. The first person to get five across, down, diagonal or blackout, wins.

    Geoboard Riddles

    • Pass out geoboards and rubber bands. Read a triangle riddle such as, "I have three 60 degree angles. What is my name?" The student must make the correct triangle on his geoboard, hold it up and call out the correct name.

    Triangle Art

    • Challenge students to create a drawing, painting or mosaic using only triangles. Set criteria that requires them to use at least one triangle of each type, and watch the creativity flow.

    Online Games

    • For technology-oriented students, online games are a way to connect with what makes their brains tick and help them master necessary math skills. Quia offers several matching games, and Pearson Education's Baseball Geometry has a section on classifying triangles to entertain while learning sneaks in under the radar.

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