{"id":10,"date":"2018-11-10T17:18:31","date_gmt":"2018-11-11T01:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hailstonesequence.wordpress.com\/?p=10"},"modified":"2021-03-15T22:35:57","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T05:35:57","slug":"rigid-transformations-design-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hailstonesequence.com\/index.php\/2018\/11\/10\/rigid-transformations-design-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Rigid Transformations Design Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To wrap up Unit 1: Rigid Transformations, I turned OUR’s Unit 1 Lesson 17<\/a>, into a project. Here are some of their final designs displayed next to other patterns “from around the world”:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Task:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create a tessellation or rotational symmetry design and describe the mathematics within your art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I emphasized that I wanted their designs to be gorgeous enough to blend in with the patterns already displayed on the wall. Normally, math class isn’t supposed to be about aesthetics  because, you know, true beauty lies in mathematical ideas and deep understanding, but I think it was appropriate in this case. Caring about the beauty of their work stressed three things: (1) the importance of precision (2) the interdisciplinary nature of patterns\/designs (3) the authenticity of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Set Up:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the warm up, we did a notice and wonder about M.C. Escher’s “Night and Day”. Talk of rigid transformations came up naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I shared a slideshow that defined tessellations and rotational symmetry and had a plethora of examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Students chose which type of design they wanted to create and got to work. A few sketched their own designs, but most used pattern blocks to build and trace their designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In both classes there were a few kids who didn’t really get into the assignment, but they perked up when I showed them how to create a tessellation by cutting a design out of a square. Great examples from mathengage.org\u00a0 can be found\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After creating their designs they responded to this prompt:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Write a paragraph about your design. Include the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n