Use the steps below to design and create your own tessellation. You may start your design using one of the 3-inch squares below, but create your tessellation on a separate sheet of blank paper.
Making Your Own Tessellation
1. Cut out a perfect square that’s about 3 inches by 3 inches.
2. In the far top left corner write the letter R; in the top right corner, write A; in the bottom right
corner, write T and in the bottom left corner an S.
3. Divide the 3-inch square in half with a straight, jagged, or curved line.
4. Continue drawing lines that divide up the square so that you end up with at least two groups of
congruent objects. (Use your knowledge of transformations.)
5. Cut the square into four pieces along the lines that you drew.
6. Now arrange the pieces so that the corners with letters on them are in the middle. Order the
pieces so that they spell STAR.
7. Tape the pieces together so that they form one big block. Use a pen or marker to make the lines
bold enough to see through another sheet of paper.
8. Trace the pattern on the small square onto an 8 x 11 inch sheet of paper.
9. Move the design over (left or right or up and down) so that is ts next to the design you just
traced like a puzzle piece, with no gaps.
10. Repeat steps 9 and 10 until you have lled your sheet. Color your design if you like.