Introduction | Task | Resources | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion
Introduction
Tessellations are found in our every
day lives, just waiting to be discovered. Have you ever been in a building and
noticed the pattern in the tile floors? Or, have you noticed the repeating,
interlocking pattern of the landscaping stones in someone's back yard? These
are both examples of tessellations in the world around us.
The Task
Your group has been
asked to write a book explaining tessellations. This book will be used by 4th,
5th and 6th graders at a neighboring elementary school. As you create your book
make sure it is age appropriate, user friendly, visually appealing and has a
consistent style.
Your book will need to:
Define tessellation.
Provide examples of translation & rotation tessellations.
Give clear directions for making translation & rotation tessellations.
Tell the history of M.C. Escher's life and give examples of his work.
Give examples of tessellations in the world around us.
Good
luck with your project! The elementary students anxiously await their books!
Process
To complete
this task of creating a book, you will need to do the following:
1) Within your goup,
decide which research (The responsibilities are listed below.)
2) Work on your part of the book as defined by each writer's task.
3) Communicate with your group at the beginning and at the end of class on the
progress you've made on your task.
4) Combine your tessellation work with the work that your group members have
done.
5) Put the "polishing touches" on your project.
Each writer's responsibility
will be:
Explain what a tessellation is.
Show examples of different tessellations.
Explain why certain shapes tessellate and others do not.
Show examples using
the translation (slide) tessellation.
Give clear directions on how to make a translation tessellation.
Show examples using
the rotations (turn) tessellation.
Give clear directions on how to make a rotation tessellation.
Give examples of
M.C. Escher's work.
Give the history of M.C. Escher's life.
Give examples of
tessellations in your school.
Give examples of tessellations in school, Byram, or Jackson area.
Design a book cover.
Give examples of tessellations used in other cultures.
Prepare a 5 10 minute
presentation about tessellations. Teach
the class some of the basics of what you have learned and design a quick
problem for a volunteer to practice (Dont pick a goof ball). DO NOT READ BORING PARAGRAPHS TO THE
CLASS! Discuss it like you know
what you are talking about! Use several
visual aids to help the class understand the topic.
What Is a Tessellation?
This site defines what a tessellation is and gives examples of
tessellating triangles, squares and hexagons.
About Symmetry and Pattern - The Four Basic Symmetries
This site uses the letter F to demonstrate both the translation and rotation
symmetry patterns.
About Symmetry and Pattern - Grids and Tessellations
This site shows six different grids that are tessellations.
Totally Tessellated (Regular Tessellations)
This site explains why some shapes do not tessellate.
Tessellations
(http://www.lwcd.com/paper-folding/tessellations.html)
This site gives clear directions on how to make interesting patterns that
rotate using both triangles and squares.
Additional Resources:
Historical & Geographical Connections for
Tessellations & Tilings
(http://forum.swarthmore.edu/sum95/suzanne/historytess.html)
This site gives examples of tessellations found in Spain, China, Japan, the
Middle East and Iran. 
Your group points will include your
book being age appropriate, user friendly, visually appealing and having a consistent
style. The book will need to include examples of tessellations found both at
school and in the Metro area. It also needs to have an eye catching cover.
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Conclusion hopefully
have a better understanding of what a tessellation is, the difference between
translation and
rotation tessellations and be able to identify tessellations in the real world.
By exploring tessellation
patterns, you will be better able to use patterns to represent and solve
problems. |
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