Quilt Project


Objective: to decorate a bulletin board with "quilt" patterns illustrating various types of symmetry.

  1. Divide the class into three groups. One group will illustrate translations (easiest), one will illustrate rotations, and one will illustrate reflections (potentially hardest).

  2. Choose a pattern for your group's quilt square either by inventing your own or or choosing from a book of quilting patterns. While choosing a square, keep in mind that you will have to produce several copies of the square and may have to create reflected versions of your square.

  3. Based on the squares chosen and group preferences, decide which of reflection, rotation or translation your group will illustrate. Make sure each group illustrates a different type of symmetry.

  4. You will create a "quilt" by assembling a dozen copies of your chosen square into a three by four block (or larger). How large should each square be in order to best use the materials provided and the space available? How many copies of your square will you need to illustrate your type of symmetry?

  5. Plan how you will illustrate your assigned symmetry. Use red lines to illustrate some lines of reflection in your quilt or use blue dots to mark centers of rotation. What labels will you need? Consult with other groups to be sure that your styles agree. (Will labels be hand written or computer printed? If printed, what font and font size will you use? Use a white or light background with dark lettering on your labels to ensure readability. Do you want a block of text by each "quilt" or will the symmetries speak for themselves?)

  6. The entire class should choose a title for the bulletin board; this title should probably be computer printed with each letter on a separate rectangle of paper. How big do the letters need to be?

  7. List the materials you will need to decorate the bulletin board. (Background paper, staplers, glue, scissors, construction paper, white paper, markers, borders, printouts, ...?)

  8. Choose a background color for the bulletin board, create your quilt squares and labels, and decorate the board!


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