Tessellations and Patterns in Nature

What is a tessellation?

• A type of plant

• A repeating pattern of shapes with no gaps or overlaps

• A kind of animal skin

• A musical rhythm

Which shape is commonly found in natural tessellations, like honeycombs?

• Circle

• Triangle

• Hexagon

• Rectangle

Who is a famous artist known for creating mathematical tessellation art?

• Leonardo da Vinci

• M.C. Escher

• Claude Monet

• Pablo Picasso

Which of the following is NOT a tessellation in nature?

• Fish scales

• Honeycomb

• Zebra stripes

• Turtle shell

Tessellations can only be made with regular shapes like squares and hexagons.

• True

• False

Nature uses tessellations because they are efficient and save space or materials.

• True

• False

Name one animal whose skin or shell shows a tessellation pattern.

Why do bees use hexagons to build their honeycombs?

Describe one way you can create a tessellation using paper and pencil.

Which of the following is an example of symmetry in nature?

• The spiral of a snail shell

• The wings of a butterfly

• The pattern of zebra stripes

• The arrangement of seeds in a sunflower