My reflection on the group Math Art project

Our project is based on the reproduction of an aperiodic tessellation constructed by Ichiro Tanioka, who used a single prototile derived from the spectre tile.

For the project, we delved into the world of tessellation. Saiya, who has studied Euclidean Geometry as an Math undergraduate shared her notes. We learned the properties of different tessellations.

Through reproducing Ichiro's work, we have also learned about David Smith's contribution towards solving the Einstein problem. The two close discoveries allowed both Ichiro and us to have a guideline on generating a variation of the Spectre tile. 

For the presentation, we wanted to 1) introduce the elementary properties of tessellation as if the class is in high school, 2) provide examples of tessellation in the real word, 3) provide a high school classroom activity to make a spectre tile, 4) introduce Einstein problem and discovery of David Smith. Finally, we wanted to extend our findings through this project by circling back to what Math should be, an art. It should inspire the imagination and artistry from each math student.

The project was a reminder of how hubris can easily get in my way of learning. During the initial selection process, I took the charge to select an art piece to reproduce. Seeing an image with multiple coloured stegosaurus made me believe that it can be done very easily. Geometry has been somewhat traumatic for me in the past, seeing the theories behind different type made be stressed out about my choices. However, with help of Saiya and Josh, we were able to navigate the material and eventually reached joyful (and shallow) understanding of the Einstein problem and its beauty.

As a prospective educator, the topic of tessellation is a wonderful topic to be incorporated in class. The big idea of geometry and transformation does not have to be limited to graphs through linear or quadratic function. Activities related to tessellation can naturally lead students to learn about the various shapes and their properties without the burden of mathematical proofs and axioms. Furthermore, I would introduce islamic art from different periodic for learners to appreciate both the art and its rich history. Group projects can be based on the story and pattern of certain types of islamic tessellation.