Escher Tessellations

This very practical activity creates an opportunity for pupils to investigate properties of shapes in an informal way. Asking them to tackle this in pairs or small groups will mean that talking to each other becomes necessary and this discussion can reveal a great deal to you about their knowledge and mathematical skills.

It is important to consider what part the recording of this work plays in the development of children's concepts relating to tessellation.

Those of you who are Escher fans will probably have resources that can extend this activity.
You may have carried out transformations (like that first one on the rectangle) on other shapes.
A very simple idea can be explored with equilateral triangles - an Escher favourite:


These can be put together in different ways.



Again there's lots of opportunity for discussion with certain pupils. For example, "Is there always a need for two different kinds of the transformed triangles?"