If you figure out the interior angles of these three shapes, you might note something interesting…Īll of these numbers - 60, 90 and 120 - are evenly divisible into 360 degrees. Regular tessellations are made by repeating squares, hexagons and equilateral triangles – all regular polygons. You may also recognize tessellations in nature in the form of bee hives, snake scales, and the outside of a pineapple. Escher applied the concept of tessellations to less geometric and more fantastical shapes. This tradition continued in many different cultures, but is particularly well recognized in the Moorish artwork of Morocco and southern Spain. The patterns for these mosaics were usually intricate and often geometric. The word “tessellation” comes from the Latin word “tessella.” Tessella were tiny squares of stone that were used to make large mosaics. Escher, you can add some details to your artwork!Ī tessellation is created when you cover a surface with a repeating pattern of shapes, making sure there are no gaps or overlapping pieces. Continue moving and tracing your pattern until your page is filled with your pattern’s outlines.Ĩ. Trace around your pattern when it is in position.ħ. If done correctly, they should fit snugly together like a puzzle piece, leaving no gap. Move your pattern so that its edges match up with the outline you drew. This example is squared up with the original index card edge and the paper’s edge, but this is not necessary.Ħ. Once you have a completed pattern for your tessellation, place it anywhere on a piece of paper and trace around it.

When taping your cut piece to a straight edge, make sure everything lines upĥ.

The cut pieces will attach to the opposite straight edges

Make sure you only cut one long side and one short side.Do not overlap the edges of your cut pieces.Do not flip the cut pieces of your index cards.Repeat the procedure for one of the short side sides. The corners of the original card and the cut piece should match perfectly.Ĥ. Slide the cut piece across the sheet to the opposite side and tape the straight edges together. Cut on the design line, being sure to have two pieces when done. Stress to the students that they must draw from corner to corner on this first attempt. Draw a simple design from one corner of the sheet to an adjacent corner. Optional: colored pencils/crayons, etc.ġ.Plus, they require the most minimal of supplies!

Tessellations - tiling a plane using geometric shapes without overlaps or gaps - are a pretty fun way to teach students about shapes, symmetry, reflection and rotation.

Reflection symmetry ppt