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Awesome Artists

You will now have the opportunity to look at some gorgeous work created by a well-known mathematician and by some less well-known, but equally talented women.  As you read and collect the required information, think about how the two sites are related. How do the artists use patterns? What geometry do you see?

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Here's what you need to do:

The Task	The Process
First Step Find out about the Quilters	Have you ever seen a quilt that you really liked? Did women always make quilts only to keep their husbands and children warm? Are most quilt patterns similar? Go to the quilts page to find out.
Second Step Find out about M. C. Escher	Do you think math and art are related? Now it's time to take a look at the work of mathematician and artist Maurits Cornelis Escher to see what you can find out.
Third Step Compare/Contrast the Artists	Now, think about what you learned about M.C. Escher's work and the work of various quilters. Write down four ways in which their work is related. Now write down four ways in which their work is different. Prepare to share your ideas with the class as we use Inspiration software to make a class web. Your teacher will give you a copy of this web that you can use as you consider the next question:
Fourth Step Write the Conversation	How might Escher and an Early American quilter view each others' work? What would Escher say to Mrs. Quilt? What would Mrs. Quilt say to Escher? Write a one page conversation between Escher and the quilter in which they discuss the creation of their favorite pieces. Be sure to take a look at the rubric before you begin.

The End: Reflection Time!

Now you've thought about the relationship between Escher's work and the quilters' work. Everyone in your class has read aloud his or her conversation and your class has discussed them. You have learned about some of the math hidden inside of art and perhaps the art hidden inside of math. Both, as you have seen, are all about patterns.

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