Tessellations, what are they? - TEACHERS This site entirely suitable for young children Mosaic Tiling | tessellations.org

Example of wallpaper group type p3. Computer-enhanced photograph of a street pavement in Zakopane, Poland. via Wikipedia

Tessellations | What are they?

The word 'tessera' in latin means a small stone cube. They were used to make up 'tessellata' - the mosaic pictures forming floors and tilings in Roman buildings Nowadays, the term "tessellation" has become more specialized. Its meaning has changed. Now it means pictures or tiles that aren't just square-shaped.

A true tessellation covers a 2D plane with "no gaps and no overlaps". Or, at the very least, the audience's eyes should be able to see that the pattern could fill the entire space without gaps or overlaps. If the pattern wouldn't cover every bit of sky, floor, grass, unexplained white space... then those places where the background shows through count as gaps.

TEACHERS - This whole site is entirely suitable for young children.

Yes, we'd be happy to post your class's original art tessellations in a "school gallery" on www.Tessellations.org.

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Insects provide architects with examples of materials and methods

Art and architecture:

The moth is the butterfly's closest relative, yet there is a persistent notion that moths are not as colourful as butterflies. Actually, moths far outnumber butterflies in species diversity and they exhibit colours and forms that are quite fascinating. The selection of moth images on these pages bears testimony to this fact.

Brahmeid Moth

Giant Leopard Moth

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Where to Find Pentagonal Symmetry | Scienceray

Where to Find Pentagons | Scienceray:

"you can not cover a flat surface only with pentagonal tiles, you need to use other polygons to cover the empty spaces. On the other hand, plants, many fruits and even animals with pentagonal symmetry are much easier to find.
Just think about any flower with five petals, or chop an apple in two halves you will see how seeds are disposed like a pentagon. Paying a bit of attention we will find many examples of pentagonal symmetry."

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Embryo undergoing second cleavage + Starfish and electron microscopy - Nikon Small World - Bruno Vellutini (via This is the Universe)

Nikon Small World - Detail - Image of Distinction, 2010 - Bruno Vellutini

Echinoderm embryo undergoing second cleavage (400X)
echinoderms: – starfish, sea urchins and their close relatives 

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reflectional symmetry & rotational symmetry 3 legged stool - Yahoo! Answers

Image via Wikipedia

Does a three legged stool have reflectional symmetry in a plane rotational symmetry about a line or both? - Yahoo! Answers:

"Rotational symmetry means that you can turn it in a circle and you can't tell it moved. If the stool has three legs and a circular head, you can turn it a third of the way around and it would look the same. Reflectional symmetry in a plane means you can split it in half and both sides look the same."

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