Tessellations Lesson

Enduring Idea: Throughout time and across cultures artists have used repeated patterns
to create artwork
Lesson Title: Tessellations Sketchbook Assignment
Grade/Class: 8th Grade
Time Allotment: About 50 min

OVERVIEW:
1. Lesson Summary: Students will be creating a tessellation for a sketchbook
assignment. Students will then trace the tessellation to cover the page with no
spaces. Students will then be transforming the pattern into an animal, plant, or
something of their own creation.
2. Art Works:
 M.C. Escher
i. Balcony, 1945 Lithograph
ii. Drawing Hands, 1948 Lithograph
iii. Horseman (No. 67), 1946 Ink, Pencil, Watercolor
iv. Pegasus (No. 105), 1959 Ink, Pencil, Watercolor
3. Key Concepts:
 Artists use repeating shapes to create pattern
 Artists use patterns to create movement
 Tessellations are used to create images that fit together with no space
4. Essential Questions:
 What are tessellations?
 How can a pattern create movement?
 How can you transform a shape into something interesting?
5. Standards:
 9.1.8.A Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create
works in the arts and humanities.
i. **Visual Arts:
1. Elements: color, form/shape, line, space, texture, and value
2. Principles: balance, contrast, emphasis, focal point, movement,
rhythm, proportion, scale, repetition, unity and harmony
 9.1.8.B Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate
elements and principles to produce, review, and revise original works in the
arts.
 9.1.8.C Identify and use comprehensive vocabulary within each of the arts
forms.
 9.1.8.H Demonstrate and maintain materials, equipment and tools safely at
work and performance space.
 9.3.8.A. Know and use the critical process of the examination of works in the
arts and humanities.
 9.3.8. C. Identify and classify styles, forms, types and genre within art forms
 6. Interdisciplinary connections: Students will be using math and science when
creating their tessellation design. They will need to consider measurement and
placements of their cuts so the tracings will fit together perfectly. A tessellation is
like a puzzle piece, using one or more geometric shapes with no overlaps and no
gaps, creating a pattern.
 Standards
i. CC.2.3.8.A.2 Understand and apply congruence, similarity, and
geometric transformations using various tools

OBJECTIVES
The students will…
1. Develop an understanding of M.C. Escher and what tessellations are
2. Create a tessellation from a 3in. square and transform it through drawing
3. Use art vocabulary while critiquing other classmates’ art.
4. Will analyze each others artwork
5. Be respectful of other student’s artwork during the class critique.

ASSESSMENT
1. Evidence: Reminding the students when the sketchbook assignment is due and
have a weekly check in.
2. Measure of achievement: Students will be having a class critique where they pick
the best ones to receive special prices.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Day 1:
1. Motivation/Engagement: Begin by greeting the class and giving a little
information as to what tessellations are. Show students this short animated
video of M.C. Escher. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F1RVwAQWUg.)
After video ask them questions about what they saw or noticed in the video.
Show students short power point on M.C. Escher including images of his
impossible reality artwork along with tessellations. Relate his work to
Optical Illusions and the Dodecahedron project.
2. Development: Gather students for a demonstration. You will be given a 3 in.
x 3 in. square piece of paper. Draw an interesting (wavy, zig zag..Etc.) line at
the bottom of the paper from corner to corner. Do the same down the left
side of the paper. Cut along the two lines on the bottom and the left. Now
take the piece you cut out from the bottom and slide that up to the top. Tape
on. Then slide the piece you cut from the left onto the right side. Tape on.
Next trace the new shape you taped together onto the top left corner
sketchbook page. After tracing once slide the shape over to the right and line
it up with the previous shape, matching it like a puzzle and trace. Continue
working left to right all the way to the edge of the paper before starting the
next line. You will be tracing the shape in lines until the page is filled. There
should be no spaces between any of the shapes. Now that the shape is all
traced take a look at it and figure out what the shape looks like to you. **Be
 creative! Once you’ve figured out something fill in the shape to look like that
object or animal. Pick a color scheme! Remember what was talked about for
Op Art, minimal colors are best. **Consider using complimentary colors!
Students should have the tessellation create and traced out before the end of
class.
3. Culmination/Close: Make sure students put their names on tessellation and
sketchbook page. Allow time for clean up at the end of class. All materials
must be cleaned and stored where they belong.

PREPARATION
1. Teacher research and preparation:
a. Create a sample tessellation, trace it and decide what it will transform into.
Add color.
b. M.C. Escher PowerPoint
Vocabulary:
Tessellation- the process or art of tessellating a surface, or the state of being
tessellated
 An arrangement of shapes closely fitted together, especially of polygons
in a repeated pattern without gaps or overlapping

2. Instructional resources:
a. YouTube:
i. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F1RVwAQWUg
3. Materials
a. 3in. Cardstock square
b. Scissors
c. Tape
d. Pencil
e. Sharpie
f. Colored Pencils
4. Adjustments:
a. Premade tessellations
b. Cut for some students who are not great at using scissors. Important that it is
a clean cut.
c. Trace students’ tessellations for them if needed.