Brief Description

As part of our studies in the area of geometry, the students will be working with tessellations. The first part of the activity invites the students to create tessellations using interactive sites found on the Internet. During the second part of the activity, students will complete a specific handout based on a particular website. On this handout, students will follow the directions to create interesting and unusual tessellating patterns.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

Standard : Technology Productivity Tools
3T-E4  Tech Tools

•     PO1 Manipulate several variables to reach a desired outcome.

Standard 4: Technology Communications Tools
4T-E2  Use Tools

• PO 1 Plan, design, and present an academic product using tech tools.

Academic Standards

Strand 4 Geometry and Measurement
    Concept 2: Transformation of Shapes.

•   PO 1 Identify the planar geometric figure that is the result of a given rigid transformation.

•   PO 2 Model a simple transformation on a coordinate grid.

Concepts and Generalizations

• Every student will experience three websites found on the Internet which allow them to create tessellations.

• Every student will be able to create interesting and unusual tessellating patterns.

Academic

Using the basic transformations of translation, reflection, and rotation, the student will design and create tessellating patterns.

Using three interactive websites, the students will create tessellating patterns and manipulate these patterns to create interesting and unusual tessellations.

Ability to browse through the Internet and work through interactive activities.

Materials

• Computers with Internet access

• Several websites that enable the students to manipulate shapes and create tessellations:

  • http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/tessellate/index.html

  • http://www.geometer.dk/tesseleringer/index.htm#1

  • http://www.arcytech.org/java/patterns/patterns_j.shtml
     

• Student handouts

• Tessellate!

• Tesseleringer

• Pattern Block Tessellations

• Access to United Streaming (you must be a member of United Streaming to access this site. http://www.unitedstreaming.com/videos/Shapes and Angles/chp1682_300k.asf

• Television with Aver Key for United Streaming.

• Colored pens and/or crayons.

Lesson Differentiation Strategies

• After working through the three interactive websites listed above, each student will be able to choose one of these websites that is most appealing to him or her.  They will complete a student activity handout based on this particular website.
• The three interactive tessellation websites were chosen for this lesson due to their varying levels of difficulty.
• The students working at a higher level will certainly enjoy the Tesseleringer! website where they will be able to move pre-made tessellations using an abstract controller.
• Students working at the mid-level will be able to create their own tessellations and manipulate these tessellations to create unusual designs.
• Students working at the lower levels will be able to use the pattern block tessellation site to create basic tessellations while improving their skills on manipulating shapes.
• In order to help the lower level students feel comfortable manipulating the pattern blocks, it might be helpful to have pattern blocks available to them prior to using the interactive websites.

Day One: (This portion of the lesson will take place in the classroom.)

1. Conduct a review of regular and irregular polygons. Make sure that the students understand that regular polygons have all sides the same length and all interior angles the same measure.
2. Prepare the students for tomorrow’s work with tessellations by watching the United Streaming video: Investigating Tesselations (you must be a member of United  Streaming to access this site).

3. Discuss tomorrow’s activities in the computer lab. The students will be working through three interactive websites where they will manipulate and create tessellations.
4. Ask students if they have any questions regarding today’s discussion of polygons and tomorrow’s plans.

Day Two: (This portion of the lesson will take place in the computer lab.)

1. The students will meet in the computer lab for today’s lesson.
2. Review with the students yesterday’s discussion regarding polygons and discuss today’s activities.
3. Have the students follow steps to locate the three interactive Tessellation websites. These sites are as follows:

http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/tessellate/index.html (While using this website, students will create unusual and creative tessellations.)
http://www.geometer.dk/tesseleringer/index.htm#1 (Using this website, the students will experience manipulating tessellations to create interesting and unusual designs.)
http://www.arcytech.org/java/patterns/patterns_j.shtml (This website allows the user to create basic tessellations using pattern blocks.).

4. As the students are working through these three sites, monitor their work and encourage students to use their imagination when manipulating and creating tessellations.

Day Three: (This portion of the lesson will take place in the computer lab.)

1. The students will meet in the computer lab for today’s lesson.
2. As a whole class, review the three websites that the students experienced yesterday. Elicit discussion as to which sites were more interactive, helpful in building an understanding of tessellations, and interesting.
3. Discuss with the students the three handouts. They are as follows:

             Tessellate!
             Tesseleringer
             Pattern Block Tessellations

4. Each student will choose a tessellation website and student handout that is most appealing and interesting to him or her. During this time in the computer lab, the students will work on completing the student handouts while manipulating the tessellations on the Internet.
5. Collect the student work as this will be the assessment of their work in the lab.

Assessment (tied to the objectives)

    See student worksheets attached.

Measurement

1. While the students are working through the websites, the teacher will monitor the class and informally assess whether or not they are able to use the interactive websites to create tessellations.

2. The teacher will collect the student work and assess it as to whether or not the students understood how to manipulate the websites to create tessellations (based on the instructions on the handouts) as well as follow directions.

 

Teacher Name: Polly Kimminau
Site:  La Cima Middle School
Date Submitted:  May, 2005