Vocabulary for Design Journal Tessellation a design using

Vocabulary for Design Journal: Tessellation - a design using repeating interlocking shapes without overlapping or gaps. Pattern - The repetition of any thing, especially shapes, lines, or colors. Polygon - a closed shape bounded by straight lines Organic shape - a shape found in nature Geometric shape - a mathematical shape

Tessellations!

What is a Tessellation? • Tessellation - A collection of shapes that fit together to cover a surface without overlapping or leaving gaps. Often a repeating geometric pattern, many of which may also be referred to as tiling. Raise your hand if you have ever seen a Tessellation!

Here are 2 examples of everyday tessellations. • Tile floors • A brick wall.

What about tessellations in nature? • A wasp nest

or Art? These drawing are by an artist, M. C. Escher. He made tessellations famous by using unusual shapes!

M. C. Escher Organic shapes

Drawing Tessellations • Today, I am going to show you how to draw a tessellation using organic shapes. • There are 2 types of shapes that can tessellate. Geometric Organic

Instructions for Drawing Organic Shapes that Tessellate • You will need a ruler, light pencil, eraser, paper, and a 3” card to cut the shape • Remember to draw lightly 1. Draw a wavy line (with no loops) from one side to the other.

2. Cut along the line and save both pieces. 3. Slide the (nibble) piece across the other and tape them together.

4. Draw another line from the top to the bottom of the card. 5. Cut along the line and save both pieces.

6. Slide the (nibble) piece directly across the other and tape them together. 7. Trace your new tessellation pattern onto your paper to make sure that it fits together. (If not, adjust it and re-tape it. )

8. Look at the shape and use your imagination to decide what it is.

8. Is it a face? An animal? A food? Try drawing different things in the shape until you create one you like.

9. When you decide on your design, chose a color scheme. Only use 3 -5 colors for the entire design. The colors need to repeat like a checker board. Look at Escher’s artwork as an example at http: //www. mcescher. c om/Gallery/gallerysymmetry. htm

Requirements: • Your final design must be 9”x 12” paper • The design needs to follow a color scheme with a pattern. (3 -5 colors that repeat) • The tile design must be an organic shape. • The tile design should repeat details of the design through the entire tessellation.

When you are finished: First, visit these websites to learn more about tessellations. • Tessellation Town -- tessellations at Math Cats • grotesque geometry (tessellation Artist) • The Official M. C. Escher Website Second, design a geometric tessellation in Word! We will print these in color and make a memory card game to play on game day!!! Follow the step by step instructions on the next slide.

Instructions for Microsoft Word 1. Open a new Word Document. 2. Save the file as your name with Tes at the end. Ex. (missday. Tes. doc) 3. Go to the top left corner and select File then select page set up set the margins to: top. 5, bottom. 5, left 2. 5 and right 2. 5 4. Go to the bottom left corner of the screen and click Draw, select grid, then grid spacing horizontal. 5 and vertical. 5 select , grid setting 1 line

5. next to Draw, select Auto. Shapes Select different shapes and try to make a tessellation 6. Use the grid to organize the shapes 7. Use the paint brush to change the color of the lines around the shape. 8. Use the paint bucket to add color to the shape. 9. Select the shapes and copy them. 10. Place the shapes together like a puzzle to make a geometric tessellation.

More Resources: • http: //web. ukonline. co. uk/polyhedra/tessell ations/type 14. htm (images) • http: //library. thinkquest. org/16661/ (Totally Tessellated!) • http: //www. ppdl. purdue. edu/ppdl/weeklypic s/8 -23 -04. html (wasp article & picture) • http: //www. artlex. com/ (art definitions) • (www. m-w. com) (dictionary)