Thomas Jefferson: Let's Tessellate!

Tessellation:   to cover (a plane surface) by repeated use of a single shape, without gaps or overlapping

After looking at Thomas Jefferson's parquet flooring at Monticello (right), last week, our class took the opportunity to create our own tessellated designs.

---

​To make your own tessellations at home (or wherever you might have the supplies), begin with a small square. We used a three-inch by three-inch square (which happens to have an area of nine square inches).  The square, of course, has four sides which we called the left, the right, the top, and the bottom.

With scissors, cut a non-straight line from the bottom to the top without cutting any pieces off.  You will be left with two pieces that fit together like a puzzle.

Now, keeping the pieces oriented as they are when the puzzle fits together (In other words, do not flip or rotate them.), slide the right piece over the left, so that the straight sides are touching.  Tape the straight sides together.

Beginning in the upper left corner of a full sheet of construction paper, line up the straight top of the taped shape with the top of the paper.  Trace the shape.  Sliding it to the right so that the left side of the shape fits within the right side of the tracing, keep tracing the shape.  When you have made it across the page, slide it down to make a second row.  Do the same until the larger paper is covered with the tessellated shape.  Trace over the pencil outline with a black marker.

Finally, alternating colors, use your crayons to neatly decorate the tessellated masterpiece.  Display it with pride; you have just tessellated!