This activity allows the user to deform a triangle, rectangle or hexagon to form a polygon that tiles the plane. This activity would work well in groups of two to four for about twenty-five minutes if you use the exploration questions and fifteen minutes otherwise.

Place in the Mathematics Curriculum

This activity can be used to:

• recognize and explore the properties of tessellations
• identify and examine symmetry in geometric figures
• describe, and classify polygons
• examine the role of mathematics in society and nature

Standards Fulfilled

This activity can be used to address the following standards:

• Geometry Standard
  
  • analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships
  • apply transformations and use symmetry to analyze mathematical situations
  • use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems

Be prepared to:

• give implicit directions on what they are to do. For example "Today we are going to explore tessellations and try to answer the exploration questions..."
• answer the question "Why do some deformations not tessellate?"

Classroom Resources

• Exploration Questions
• Regular Polygons Data Table
• Connect the Dots Worksheet
  • Record Sheet
  • Connect the Dots Exploration Questions

Associated Interactivate Modules