Playing with tessellations

Before you begin

Watch the MathXplosion episode '...It's a Metamorphosis'

Watch the video to see what to do next.

(This video was created with Sarah at Newtown PS, Ingrid from Cootamundra PS and Jason from Brookvale PS)

Transcript

Transcript coming soon.

Collect resources

You will need:

  • A few sheets of paper

  • Scissors

  • Sticky tape

  • Pencils or markers.

What to do

  • Create your own tessellating design using an equilateral triangle.

  • What other shapes can you create a tessellating design with?

  • What shapes can you find ‘hiding’ in your pattern?

Other ways to play

  • What happens if you create a tessellating design with different kinds of triangles (scalene or isosceles)?

  • Why do you think this happens?

Discuss/reflect

  • How do we know that these shapes tessellate?

  • What evidence can you use to prove something tessellates or doesn’t tessellate?

  • Describe the way you are moving your stencil to create your tessellating design? (Are you rotating, translating, reflecting or a combination?)

  • Are there any shapes you can think of that you think might be difficult to create tessellating designs? Which ones? Why?

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