One day, I found myself cutting sticky notes into heart shapes and pondering a peculiar question: ‘Can a heart shape tessellate?’ To my delight, they did! This turned into a cool and artsy experience as hearts became buddies in my geometric art project. Inspired by this creative activity, let’s explore heart tessellations, combining math, art, and a touch of creativity to celebrate Valentine’s Day in style.
Tessellations, popularized by the artist M.C. Escher, are like magical patterns where shapes fit together just right. Escher’s designs are pretty wild, and you can find similar cool patterns in everyday things like floor tiles and bricks. Even nature gets in on the tessellation fun – just look at honeycombs and fish scales! Our collection of tessellations, featuring Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and Hanukkah stars, exemplifies how mathematics elevates the world with a touch of charm.
For the love of math art, let’s try creating heart tessellations with a simple art project.
How to Create A Heart SHAPE THAT CAN TESSELLATE
Curious to try? Follow these simple steps:
You will need
- Square shaped 3 x 3 Sticky notes
- scissors
- a ruler
- pencil
Start with a STICKY NOTE
Use a ruler to mark the points ( highlighted with red dots ) on the square-shaped sticky note at the distances shown below.
I noticed that the point of the geometric heart designs has to be a certain dimension in order to tessellate the heart shape.
Draw a Heart
Draw a line to connect the points to form a heart shape, as shown below. Cut along the lines to create the heart template.
Repeat the Process
On a separate sticky note, trace the heart template and cut it out. Repeat the process by tracing and cutting more hearts from additional sticky notes.
Now, the question arises – can a heart shape tessellate?
Test it out by placing the hearts next to each other, ensuring they seamlessly fit together.
HEART TESSELLATION ON GRAPH PAPER METHOD
Explore another method where these heart tessellations will be mathematically perfect.
What will you need
- Graph paper Or, buy the heart template on graph paper from our Tpt store
- pencil
- art supplies like colored pencils, markers
Instructions :
Using graph paper, draw the heart design shown below, making sure the hearts are perfectly interlocked.
Add your creative touch with colored pencils and markers.
Heart Tessellation PATTERNS AND COLORING WORKSHEET
Visit our Tpt store for printable tessellation templates and coloring sheets. Kids can choose between two heart designs – one using the geometric template method and the other employing graph paper.
What Kids Learn from This Activity
Engaging in heart tessellation activities, kids will learn:
- Spatial Awareness: Understanding spatial relationships as they fit shapes together.
- Creativity: Expressing themselves within a structured framework.
Are Tessellations Math or Art?
A tessellation beautifully bridges both worlds. While they originate from mathematical principles, they have evolved into an artistic form, blurring the lines between the two disciplines.
So, can a heart shape tessellate? Absolutely! Prepare to be amazed by the mesmerizing results of this engaging and educational activity. Ready to try this fun math art project? Grab some sticky notes, and let’s create beautiful heart tessellations together!
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