Easy Tessellation Activity: A Fun Way to Create Mathematical Patterns

Are you looking for a fun and easy way to introduce your children or students to the concept of tessellations? Look no further! This activity is perfect for creating mathematical patterns while exploring symmetry and geometry.

According to the Zohar, a medieval book of Jewish mysticism, the Star of David is a symbol that represents the six male sefirot (attributes of God) in union with the seventh sefirah of the female. Over the years, several possible meanings have been passed down, but it's unknown how this symbol became associated with Judaism.

To create your own Star of David, start by drawing a triangle overlapped by another 'upside-down' triangle. You can use a ruler or a template to get the shapes accurate. Once you've drawn the star, position it atop a hexagon and trace three diamonds as shown below.

Continue adding additional star shapes as shown, carefully tracing around each star to create a tessellation pattern. If you want to add hexagons between your stars, position one point of one star touching a point of another in a parallel manner. For diamonds between your stars, position two points of one star connecting to two points of another.

To take it to the next level, try creating a star-diamond tessellation by positioning your star so that one point touches a point of another star in a perpendicular manner. Carefully trace around each star to create a unique pattern.

Using heavy paper or cardstock makes it easy to cut out the shapes with precision. You can also use different colors or patterns to add an extra layer of creativity to your design.

This activity is not only fun but also helps develop spatial awareness, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking. Who knew math could be so artistic?

As you explore this easy tessellation activity, don't forget to check out our newest math art idea: adorable cat tessellations! You can also experiment with repeating and rotating mathematical patterns, which is surprisingly relaxing.

Add a little sparkle to your math art projects and STEAM education by incorporating star tessellation patterns using a six-pointed star. Tessellations are an easy-to-learn art idea with enough variation possibilities to keep kids interested for hours. So why not give it a try? Grab some paper, a pencil, and get creative!

Easy tessellation activity