South Carolina ETV

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Columbia, SC 29201-4761
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Tessellations (Grades 4-6)

Master Teacher

Jody Penland

Overview

Prior to this lesson, students will have been exposed to geometry vocabulary, including: regular polygons, triangles, squares, and pentagons. During this lesson, students will investigate tessellations and transformations in the real world and nature.

ITV Series

Math Vantage: Patterns, Program #4, "Tessellations/Transformations"

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

identify shapes that will tessellate
construct a tessellation using transformations
identify transformations in tessellations (rotations, reflections, translations)
identify applications of transformations such as tiling and fabric design

SC Math/Science Standards Met

Geometry and Spatial Sense

Strands: D and E

Materials

Activity 1 (student viewing sheet)
Activity 2 (student sheet of shapes)
transparencies or slides of tessellation examples
pattern blocks
children's literature book Eight Hands Round by Ann Whitfor Paul
overhead projector
pattern blocks for use with overhead projector

Vocabulary

tessellation
transformation
rotation (turn)
reflection (flip)
translation (slide)

Previewing Activities

1. Show (on overhead or in slides) different tessellations and ask students to discuss what all of the pictures have in common. Also have students identify the uses of them.

Focus for Viewing

To give students a specific responsibility while viewing, have them look for the definitions of tessellations, rotations, reflections, and translations and write them on the Activity 1 sheet. Students will also identify the three regular polygons that will tessellate. Then students will list places where tessellations are found in the real world and in nature.

Viewing Activities

Have students complete Activity 1 as the video plays. Stop the video as you are watching to emphasize points on sheet and to ensure comprehension.

Stop the video after the girl defines tessellation with the word "Tessellation" on the screen to discuss and clarify any questions about what a tessellation is and looks like.

Restart the video. Let the definition of congruent and the three regular polygons that are tessellations play. Stop when the three shapes (equilateral triangle, square, and hexagon) are on the screen. Have students talk about congruent shapes and figures and also identify the three shapes that will tessellate.

Restart the video. Let the video show translations, rotations and reflections. Stop when the definitions are through. When you stop, discuss each definition and what happens to the shape when it translates, rotates and reflects.

Prompt students to watch the rest of the video, looking for uses of tessellations in nature and the real world. When the video finishes, discuss with the students when they saw tessellations. Then talk about where they could find tessellations in the school or community.

Post-Viewing Activities

1. Give students Activity 2 (sheet of different shapes) and have them identify the shapes that will tessellate.

2. Give students pattern blocks to let them explore and determine which pattern blocks tessellate.

3. On the overhead, show a shape, manipulate the shape (cause a reflection, translation, or rotation), and have students identify the transformation. Then do two transformations to a shape and have students identify which transformations were performed.

Action Plan

1. Have students walk around school and their neighborhoods. Ask them to identify places where tessellations are present in/around their school and community.

Extensions

1. Art: Have students create a tessellation quilt.

2. English/Language Arts: Read children's literature book Eight Hands Round by Ann Whitfor Paul.

3. Science: Study the nature of bees because the beehive is a tessellation.