Math in Art
In art we began our study about tessellations. A tessellation is a shape that repeats with no overlaps and no gaps. We brainstormed places we had seen tessellations - rugs, floor tiles, brick walls, mosaics, quilts, bee hives and puzzles. Students drew on the board shapes they believed would tessellate such as squares, diamonds and hexagons. We noted what the shapes had in common and how some shapes, like triangles, had to be flipped to fit together.
Using pattern blocks, familiar from lower grades, we worked in groups to create a tessellation design. The students collaborated, cooperated and compromised to create their group designs.
“We can use diamonds instead of triangles.”
“If we put three of these diamonds together, we can make a hexagon.”
“I see symmetry!”
Our project moved on to creating our own unique tessellations. These are irregular shapes that still tessellate. Our work is inspired by that of M C Escher, a Dutch artist famous for his impossible constructions and transformation prints. We began by making a translation tessellation shape and will also make a rotation and reflection tessellation.
This is an exciting mathematical art project working with shape, pattern and geometry.
