- Definition
A parallelogram is a four-sided shape where opposite sides are always running in the same direction and will never meet.
The classic 'slanted rectangle' shape is a parallelogram because its top and bottom sides are parallel, and its left and right sides are parallel.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A parallelogram is like a stack of books you've pushed slightly to the side — the top and bottom stay flat and parallel, and the sides do too.
Ask your child: If you tilted a rectangle, would the opposite sides stay parallel?
Common mix-up: Kids may think rectangles and squares aren't parallelograms. Because their opposite sides are parallel, squares and rectangles are special types of parallelograms.
Examples
- A square is a special parallelogram where all sides are equal and all angles are 90 degrees.
- A rhombus is a parallelogram where all four sides are equal length.
- The shape of many garden lattice fences is a grid of parallelograms.
parallelogram is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
