http://edweb.sdsu.edu/tarp2/quest/tessellations.html

by

Lee Roland

Jeff Strukel

Introduction

This unit was developed at San Diego State University in EDTEC 596, Interdisciplinary Teaching with Technology, Donn Ritchie, Instructor. The unit combines the two disciplines of math and art through the investigation of tessellations.

Content Areas and Grades

This unit is anchored in 12th grade art and math. The unit could be simplified to accomodate lower grades.

Curriculum Standards

Math/Art standards addressed:

*Recognize relationships between art and math

*Learn about geometric and algebraic concepts and their uses in realia through art.

*Design hand made art-work

Students will be asked to think logically and mathematically, as well as spatially. The union of these concepts will be expressed.

Students will be challenged creatively and critically. They will be asked to creatively problem solve and actually build hands on projects after this lesson.

Students will work collaboratively in groups to complete a project.

Organizing Theme and Guiding Questions

The math/art unit is tied together through the use of role playing by the students. The students will be commissioned by the king to create a mosaic floor using their knowledge of tessellations. On their quest to complete a floor that will please the king, they will recieve help from famous artists and mathematicians.

Guiding Question	Knowledge	Comprehension	Application	Analysis	Synthesis	Evaluation
What is a mosaic floor?	How do you construct a mosaic floor?	Observe examples of mosaic floors	What materials do you need to construct a mosaic floor?			Build a mosiac floor.
What is a tesselation	What math and art concepts will be used?	Observe examples of tesselations	How do we apply these concepts in creating a tesselation?			Build a mosaic floor using tessellation concepts.

Implementation Overview

Our unit will take five day fifty minute classes. It is an interdisciplinary unit combining math and art. Students will be required to do homework outside of class. The finished project is a mosaic floor.

Material Resources Needed

Describe what's needed to implement this lesson. Some of the possibilities:

*Art materials: tile, tile cutters, glue, plywood, grout, scissors. construction paper,

*Math materials: rulers, compass, angles, protractor

*Various links to be added later

*Reference material from library.

*Overheads of examples

Human Resources Needed

This unit can be optimally implemented with two teachers, however it is possible to teach the unit with one.

Entry Level Skills and Knowledge

Prior knowledge: Minimal art skills are required to be successful in this unit, but the students must be willing to get dirty and work with their hands. The students need to be familiar with geometric concepts, have good measuring skills, and understand the concepts of degrees in geometric shapes.

Teacher knowledge: The teacher needs to be comfortable with the many math and art concepts of creating tesselations. Also, The teacher must know how to construct a mosaic floor.

Outline of Activities

This lesson is a five day instructional unit with an additional week or two for construction of the project.

Day 1	Students will be introduced to the concepts of mosaic floors and the begiining ideas of tesselations. Using the web the students will read short excerpts about concepts and the teacher will summarize those using an LED display from his computer.
Day 2	The second day will extend their knowledge of tesselations. We will introduce examples of tesselations used in mosaic floors using examples of tesselation artists. The students will view these example using web-links on the computer. Students are responsible for preliminary idea sketches.
Day 3	Day three requires the students to be involved with the design and the construction of a mosaic tile using tessellations. The design is to make preliminary sketches finalized with all potential problems worked out. The construction techniques of mosaic tilesetting will be demonstrated today. We will be practicing with actual small scale construcion of mosaics using actual tiles.

Day 4	The students make a full scale drawing and draw it out on the wood. Students begin full scale construction of project.
Day 5	The students work on the mosaic floor for the next five days.

Evaluation

Evaluation is based on the completion of the mosaic tilework. Working and final drawings should be accounted for and graded. In addition, the students mathematical knowledge will be tested using hyperstudio to assess their knowledge of geometry and mathematics.

Conclusion

This activity has the students learn mathematics and art through physical actions in conjunction with web based readings. The students are challenged creatively and mathematically to create and bring to fruition a finished project. What is special about this unit is that the students are introduced to the concepts throught the web and learn the concepts by using them in a hands-on activity.