In this STEAM classroom project, students design and make a laser-cut tangram puzzle using LaserMaker. The lesson connects geometry, measurement, line drawing, cutting path planning, and hands-on making through a classic puzzle activity.

1. Lesson Overview

1.1 Project Goal

Students will design a tangram puzzle by analyzing its geometric structure, drawing accurate cutting lines, setting laser processing parameters, and producing a physical puzzle that can be rearranged into different shapes.

1.2 Recommended Classroom Use

2. Learning Objectives

2.1 What Students Will Learn

2.2 STEAM Skills Developed

2.3 Responsible Making

If students use online images as references for puzzle or jigsaw designs, they should respect image copyright and follow teacher-approved classroom guidelines.

3. Real-World Context: What Is a Tangram?

The tangram is an ancient Chinese puzzle made from seven geometric pieces cut from a square. These pieces include two large triangles, one medium triangle, two small triangles, one square, and one parallelogram.

The seven pieces can be rearranged into many shapes, including triangles, parallelograms, irregular polygons, people, animals, buildings, and letters. The source lesson notes that tangrams can form more than 1,600 kinds of shapes, making the project a strong connection between math, creativity, and making.

4. Design and Engineering Considerations

Before drawing the puzzle in LaserMaker, students should analyze the tangram as both a geometric pattern and a physical object. This helps them plan size, cutting order, material, and playability.

5. Lesson Procedure

5.1 Research, Measure, and Sketch

Start by looking at tangram examples or jigsaw puzzle toys. Students should observe the composition, layout, and size, then decide the dimensions of the puzzle and base they want to design.

After measuring, students should sketch the tangram pattern by hand. They can use colored pens to mark the planned cutting lines clearly before drawing the design in LaserMaker.

5.2 Draw the Tangram with Line Segments and Grid Tools

Students can import a tangram reference image into LaserMaker and use it as a guide. Turn on the Grid Tool to show a grid background, then draw the square and internal cutting lines step by step.

In the source workflow, the square is drawn at 130 mm by 130 mm. Students use the Line Segment Tool to draw the diagonal, divide the square into triangles, and complete the line segments that form the medium triangle, two large triangles, two small triangles, square, and parallelogram.

5.3 Draw the Frame and Bottom Plate

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a 150 mm by 150 mm square as the outer frame of the tangram. Align it with the center of the tangram design so the puzzle pieces fit cleanly inside the frame.

Then copy the outer frame to use as the base plate of the tangram. This creates a simple puzzle tray or bottom board for organizing the pieces.

5.4 Set Cutting Parameters

Select the tangram object and open the Processing Parameters dialog box from the corresponding black cutting layer. In the source workflow, the process is set to cutting with a processing thickness of 3 mm.

5.5 Test, Debug, and Improve

Before making the final tangram set, students should test the cutting result on the selected material. The source activity suggests adjusting cutting parameters, such as testing a speed value of 30 and a power value of 60, then observing the result and refining the settings as needed.

6. Finished Project

After the cutting settings are confirmed, students can complete the final tangram puzzle. The finished project should include the seven puzzle pieces and, if included in the design, a matching frame or base plate.

7. Extension Challenge

After completing the tangram, students can design their own puzzle based on an image they like. They can import the image into LaserMaker, plan the cutting lines, and create a new jigsaw-style puzzle.

For a more advanced challenge, students can study the rounded interlocking shapes used in jigsaw puzzles and think about how the round arch interfaces should be drawn.

8. Inspiration Gallery

The following examples can be used for classroom discussion, design inspiration, and student reflection. Encourage students to compare the puzzle shapes, cutting paths, assembly methods, and finished visual effects.