Tessellation Escher Project

thingiverse

This education project involves students creating intricate designs through tessellation patterns and printing those out as puzzle pieces, effectively developing their mathematical thinking skills by looking for patterns in their surroundings. By using 3D printing technology, students gain hands-on experience with physical objects, enhancing kinesthetic learning. The sample files provided showcase the kind of puzzles students can create. These puzzles can be shared among peers to further reinforce tessellating pattern concepts. Moreover, they produce a visually appealing piece of math art that intersects with art curriculum standards. Other examples of this activity can be found at: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1470332 https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2952793 kendel3d has created an impressive puzzle frame for this project at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2125154. Print Settings: Printer Brand: MakerBot Printer: MakerBot Replicator 2 Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: Medium Infill: 14 Notes: Note that there is a set of multiple pieces designed for a rectangular build platform and one for a square arrangement. Choose the file best suited to your printer. Post-Printing: For a better fit, sand or file the edges of the first layer after printing is complete (that first layer tends to squish out slightly). Design Process: I started by creating an engaging design using Tesselmaniac, a program that allows for cool tessellating shapes. The shape was then exported as a SVG file, compatible with many 3D modeling applications. I imported the file into Inkscape and deleted all unnecessary elements, exporting it again in SVG format. This file can be easily imported into most 3D applications (e.g., 123D Design), where it's automatically extruded to the desired height. After approval from the teacher, multiple shapes are printed, with the number depending on the design complexity. The puzzles are then shared and played among peers who challenge themselves by putting the pieces together into tessellating shapes. Duration: This activity can be modified to fit one lesson (e.g., for a class-designed approach) or multiple lessons where individuals or groups design and print their own tessellation designs. Depending on access to 3D printers and time available, instructors can adjust the length of this activity. Preparation: Either purchase Tesselmaniac or use paper to create a tessellating shape. If using paper, you can cut out multiple copies to test the shape. Resources: http://www.tesselmaniac.com/tess/Home.html http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me5l/html/math5.html?goLesson=19 http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mejhm/index.html?l=0&ID1=AB.MATH.JR.SHAP&ID2=AB.MATH.JR.SHAP.TRAN&lesson=html/object_interactives/transformations/use_it.html https://www.universalclass.com/articles/math/geometry/what-are-tessellations.htm https://www.exploratorium.edu/geometryplayground/Activities/GP_Activities_3-5/ExploringTessellations_3-5_v4.pdf