Problem Description Sheet:       Tessellating Shapes             Introduction: Shapes that can be repeatedly used to completely cover the area of a surface are called tessellating shapes. You may have seen some of these tessellating patterns in artwork, tiled floors, or wallpaper designs. You will make and describe a tessellation. Problem: Take a handful of red trapezoid-shaped pattern blocks (if available). Fit these together to start covering the surface of a table (or floor). Now use one of these blocks and trace around it onto a piece of paper. Tessellate this shape on the paper by continuing to move and retrace the shape.   Compare your tessellation with a couple of your classmates. Are they the same?   Describe or show the properties of your tessellation. Include discussion of parallel and perpendicular lines, translations, rotations, reflections, symmetry, and congruency.   On a small piece of paper (about ¼ the size of the original sheet of paper), reduce your tessellation so that the tessellating shape is ¼ the size of the original. Materials: pencil, paper, red trapezoid-shaped pattern blocks (or isosceles-trapezoid-shaped paper cut-outs), crayons or pencil crayons, grid paper Extra Questions: Colour your tessellation to form an interesting pattern. For each colour you use, state what fraction of the tessellation is in that colour. Reduce or enlarge your trapezoid tessellation by a different amount. Create your own shape that you can tessellate.

Topic(s): Geometry (G-21,22,24,26), fractions, measurement, critical and creative thinking, communication    Activity Type:   Group  Individual  Assessment:   Scale:      Levels 1-5           Self  Peer  Teacher    Include in your portfolio?   Yes  No  Optional    Toward your marks?   Yes  No  Optional  Hints: