Morocco Tesselations Lesson Plan

YOUR NAME: Lindsey Keller

LESSON TITLE: Morocco Tesselations

RECOMMENDED GRADES: 5th Grade

TIME NEEDED: 3 hour long sessions

OBJECTIVES:Students will be able to:● Determine if a shape (s) will tesselate● Define and apply math key terms such as: rotate, reflection, translation, symmetry ● Present on a topic related to tesselations such as: Islamic art, Islamic artists, art of

mosques, M.C Escher

MATERIALS: Pictures of Moroccan Mosaics (other mosaics can be used as well, but Islamic

majority countries have a plethora of mosaics and tesselations that can be used) Index card squares Tape Markers, crayons, colored pencils

PREPARATION: If students are unfamiliar with the vocabulary terms in this lesson, it would be

beneficial to preteach these topics. This lesson is more of the application of these terms and concepts.

Teacher should have pre-curated resources for the research portion. This can include texts, videos, and art samples

DIRECTIONS:Part I- Tesselation Introduction

1. Put up several mosaic patterns on the board. Ask the students to do a T-Chart writing down What I notice and What I wonder

a. Once students share, ask them how mathematics might play a part in making these elaborate mosaics. Chart the answers.

2. Connection- Ask students if the prior lessons on symmetry, translations, rotations, etc. might have anything to do with creating these mosaics. Also ask, where have students seen tesselations before.

3. Vocabulary- Review the definitions of the vocabulary terms, including tesselations.

4. Groups- Put students into groups and tell them that they will be assigned a particular way create the tesslation, either by rotation, translation, reflection.

Part II- Tesselation Creation 1. Pass out a square of any size to each of the groups. Students will need to find the

area of the square and write the formula. 2. Draw a line from one corner to the other adjacent corner. It can be straight, a

squiggle, or curved line. Note: the corners have to be on the same side of the square.

3. Cut along the line. Tape the cut out across another side of the square. 4. Trace the new shape several times and cut it out. See if you can tesslate it using

the concept given to you. 5. Once you have made a tesselating pattern complete the following:

a. Find the area of the pattern of shapes. b. Color your tesselation.c. If time remains, follow the steps again, but try a different tesselating concept.

Part III: Cultural Research 1. Each group will choose a topic to research in relation to tesselations. Some

topics may include: a. Mosaics of Mosques b. Art of Islam c. Middle Eastern Artistsd. M.C. Escher

2. Students will complete a mini-inquiry on this or other tesselation topics and present their findings in anyway they choose.

MODIFICATIONS: Advanced Students- Students could create the tesslations with little

direction. Simply, the teacher could assign them to a type of tesslation to create with no directions.

Struggling students- These students could be give a shape, premade, to tesselate. Simplier shapes, like a square could be used.

EXTENSIONS:Tessellation Creator on NCTM’s Illuminations website: http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=202 Students can create their own tessellations using a variety of geometric figures.

STANDARDS: Draw and identify lines and angles, and classify shapes by properties of their lines and

angles. Recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figure as a line across the figure

such that the figure can be folded along the line into matching parts. Identify line-symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry.

VOCABULARY: Tessellation- is any pattern made of repeating shapes that covers a surface

completely without overlapping or leaving any gaps. Reflection – a shape is flipped over an axis or point so there is a mirror like

reflection Translation – a shift in the position of the shape Symmetry - Rotation – moving a shape clockwise or counter clockwise around a fixed point

ASSESSMENT: Performance Assessment- Students will be given a predetermined shape and a way

to tesslate it. They should be able to do this independently. Vocabulary Assessment- Students will define words with either fill in the blank,

multiple choice, etc.

RESOURCES: