Tessellations Project

Maurits Cornelis Escher, born in Leeuwarden, Holland in 1898, created unique and fascinating works of art that explore
and exhibit an array of mathematical ideas. Among his greatest admirers were mathematicians, who recognized in
Escher’s work an extraordinary visualization of mathematical principles. This was quite remarkable as Escher had no
formal mathematics training beyond secondary school.

Tessellations, or regular divisions of the plane, are arrangements of closed shapes that completely cover the plane
without overlapping and without leaving gaps. For shapes to fill the plane without overlaps or gaps, their angles, when
arranged around a point, must have measures that add up to exactly 360°. Typically, the shapes making up a tessellation
are polygons or similar regular shapes (like square tiles used on floors). Escher exploited these basic patterns in his
tessellations, applying reflections, translations, and rotations to obtain a greater variety of patterns. He also “distorted”
these shapes to form animals, birds, and other figures.

Project Objective: Students will create a tessellation that demonstrates their knowledge of the properties of geometric
transformations, such as translations, rotations, and reflections.

Procedure:

You will need to make a template to trace. There are complexity points for your tessellation. You get more points for
attempting a more difficult tessellation. You may not simply take a polygon and slide, rotate, or reflect it over and over
again to create your tessellation. You must create a template that has been altered on both sides.

Written Response Questions

1. What polygon(s) did you start with and how did you alter it?

2. What transformations did you use?

3. In your opinion, are tessellations math or pieces of art? Justify your answer.
 TESSELLATION RUBRIC (20 points)

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Organization Tessellations are Tessellations are Tessellations are There is no
presented in an presented in a organized, but not organization to
organized somewhat well constructed. the tessellation.
manner. Their organized
construction is manner. Their
complete and construction is
accurate. fairly complete.
Complexity of Tessellation was Tessellation was Tessellation was Tessellation is
Design created with created with created with simple and
nonpolygon complex polygon simple shapes pattern is not
shapes that shapes that that connect to complex or
connect to create connect to create create a pattern. interesting.
an intricate and an intricate and
complex pattern. complex pattern.
Completeness of All areas of the All areas of the Most areas of the There are major
Tessellation tessellation are tessellation are tessellation are holes in the
covered by the covered by the covered by the tessellation and it
complex pattern simple pattern simple pattern does not fit
to completely fit with few or small with some holes together.
together. holes in the in the pattern.
pattern.
Creativity Tessellation uses Tessellation uses Tessellation uses There is no
unique design and a mixture of some shapes that creativity to the
patterns of polygons and fit together to design.
unusual shapes to interesting shapes form a simple
form a complex to create a nice pattern
and interesting design.
design.
Follows Directions Tessellation Tessellation Tessellation Tessellation does
covers the entire covers the entire mostly covers the not cover the
sheet of paper sheet of paper entire sheet of entire sheet of
completely with and has a paper and has no paper completely.
interesting display complete presentation.
and presentation. presentation.

WRITING GUIDELINES (10 points)

• Each answer in your written response should be numbered to correspond with each question.

• Questions need to be clearly answered and they must be supported by sufficient detail.

• Response must contain use of mathematical terms, such as reflection, translation, rotation, etc.

Name ____________________________________________________________

Points __________________________________
Escher Art set to music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njp6yexWbfw

Describing Escher’s Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcc56fRtrKU
Creating your Tessellation:

1. Begin by creating a template using at least 1 of the nibbling methods above. Try a variety
of methods and designs until you are satisfied.
2. Your image needs to represent something, it can not just be an abstract shape.
3. Once the template has been created, place your template at any of the four corners of
your paper and trace your first figure. To avoid gaps, have the corner of the paper align
with the original square you started with (Your first template may hang off the edge of the
paper)
4. Once your figure has been traced slide it, reflect it, or rotate it (based on the “nibbling”
method chosen above) and trace your next figure.
5. Continue step 4 until the entire page is covered. All your figures on the paper should fit
together like a puzzle. Figures at the edge will only be partial images.
6. Once you have the page covered with your tessellation, begin to add a design and color
in the figure. I recommend using colored pencils (not markers).
7. Have fun!

Examples of Tessellations:
Examples of M.C. Escher’s Work: