Math and Art Reflective of Islamic Art Tiles...

You will need a pencil, a ruler and a 12 x12 inch sheet of 90# white paper.

You will also need watercolor paints when you are finished designing the tile.

Draw a line using a ruler from corner to corner.

Both horizontal and vertical 

You will need a 4 inch box. Start by placing the 2 inch mark on the ruler where the horizontal and vertical lines meet at the center of the paper.

Make a mark on the first line at 0 and 4 inches.

Now turn the rules to the other line and do the same thing.
You have created 4 marks on the lines...

Use the ruler to connect the 4 dots to create your 4 inch box.

 

Now you need an 8 inch box. Start by placing the 4 inch mark on the ruler at the center of your paper where the horizontal and vertical lines meet. 

Now place a mark on the line at the 0 and 8 inch measurements. 

Now turn the paper and do the same thing on the other line. 

Place your ruler at the 4 inch mark at the center of the paper and make a mark on the line

at the 0 and 8 inch measurements.

Now connect the 4 dots to create your 8 inch box.

Now put a line through the center of the 8 inch box.

And do the same thing on the other side.

After this step I tell the kids they are free to design at will. 

I do a demo but let them know that after this point their work does not have to look like mine. 

So I demo how to slowly connect the points and use the ruler to draw the lines. I remind them this is not a race and the ruler must meet at and intersection point, either one that is already there or one they can measure out on their own. Make sure you are focusing on where your ruler is lining up.

Continue the demo...remember that what you draw on one side you have to do on the other so that your tile is symmetrical. 

Finish demo...now it's your turn to add lines to your tile.

Create your own tile. Add as many lines as you like.

The last step is to use water color paint to symmetrically paint the tile.

Here is a great link to the Met Museum's Islamic patterned tiles information. 

My philosophy on teaching cultural/historical art lessons: 

Appreciation vs. Appropriation  

I think that we need to teach an appreciation of cultural art with the understanding that it is not ours to take. I think if we have kids look at the art “then make it their own” it is watering the art down and allowing it to move into popular culture. I think cultural/ historical should be studied as it is with an accompanying history listen and with the expressed understanding that it is not ours to take... only to look, study and appreciate.