School District U-46 Elementary Art Department
VISUAL ART LESSON PLAN
Name: Penny Kentz
School: Sycamore Trails
Date: November 28, 2006
District Objectives:
Activity Title: Tessellation
Grade Level: 5th
Length of Time: 4 Class Periods
Illinois Fine Arts Standards: (Cite number
and include brief descriptor)
__x__Aesthetics/Critical Thinking
25 A2d
__x__Media Knowledge
__x_Skill Development
26 A1e
26AB1d
__x_Historical/Cultural Knowledge
__x_ _Integrated Arts
26B4d
27A2b
Grade Level Links to Curriculum Roadmap: 5th Grade Math Curriculum (9.5.07)
Identify and predict results of reflection, translation, and rotation of a two dimensional
shape.
Art Concept(s): tessellation, reflection, translation, rotation, M. C. Escher
Vocabulary (referenced to subject area vocabulary and grade level academic
vocabulary): tessellation, reflection, translation, rotation, adjacent, detail (5th academic
vocabulary)
Materials, Tools and Resources: pencils, colored pencils, 9” square white paper, 3”
manila squares, 3” tag board squares, scissors, masking tape, fine point black markers,
tessellation posters, book and art work by M. C. Escher, former student examples and
teacher sample.
Procedures:
Introduce tessellations to the students. What is a tessellation? Can you give me an
example of a tessellation? What shapes can you tessellate? We are going to create are
own tessellating shape. Introduce M.C. Escher. Give them brief information about the
Dutch graphic designer. Show them samples of his work. Explain the three different
ways to create a tessellating shape: translation, rotation, and reflection.
#1: Using a square, students will draw a line from corner to corner on one side, making
sure not to go past the corner. On an adjacent side, students will draw another line from
corner to corner.
#2: Students will then cut exactly on the line, no trimming or scraps.
#3: To create a translation, students will slide the shapes across the square to the
opposite side and tape them end to end aligning them exactly.
To create a rotation, students repeat steps #1 and #2 but instead of sliding, rotate the
shapes to the adjacent side. To create a reflection students repeat steps #1 and #2 but flip
them over, then slide the cut shapes to the opposite side.
Students will start by manipulating manila squares until they produce a shape that they
can make into something. After adding details, they then can reproduce the shape on a
tag board square. They will trace their shape starting in the middle and tessellating them
across the paper. Complete details will be drawn on the four complete center
tessellations. The remaining space will have outlined shapes but no details. Shapes and
details will be outlined with thin black marker. The four center shapes will be colored
alternating cool and warm themes.
Evaluation / Assessment Tool:
_x__Artwork __x__Discussion
____Quiz
____Self-Evaluation ___Rubric
References:
M.C. Escher.com, Tessellations.org, Tessellation posters, M.C. Escher prints
Class Summary
Next week: The students will continue working with their tessellations. I will review
cool and warm colors before students begin coloring. After outlining with black marker,
students will use alternating color schemes to color their tessellation.
The following week students will finish outlining and coloring. Finished papers will be
mounted on a piece of colored construction paper.
Students will have an opportunity to choose this piece to hang in the Fine Arts Night in
the spring.
Discipline Plan:
Classroom rules and consequences are posted in the room. I reward students who behave
with the ability to sign the “Artist of the Week” poster. Everyone eventually gets a
chance to sign. I make a new poster each semester. Students who misbehave suffer the
consequences and chose their seats last when we switch at the quarter. Slates are wiped
clean each quarter.