Primary Curricular Area: Shapes and Introduction to Geometry
Academic Art Standard: Art Production and Exhibition

This lesson plan was adopted from one created by Megan Hess, a second and third grade teacher at Germantown Friends School. The lesson explores geometry and patterns in quilts. How have quiltmakers used geometry in patchwork quilts? How do shapes fit together to create new shapes and form patterns? What are some different ways of creating designs?

Pennsylvania Academic Standards (The New Jersey Standards Clarification Project for the Visual and Performing Arts is currently under revision.)

Grade Levels:

For Grades 2–4

Art Images Required:

Most images listed can be found by searching the collections at the Museum’s website. Images that are available from ARTstor are also indicated; typing this exact search phrase will direct you to the specific image from the ARTstor database.

• Hexagonal Log Cabin (Six-Pointed Star) Quilt, by Jane Tucker
  ARTstor search: Not available
• Sunburst Quilt, by Rebecca Scattergood Savery
  ARTstor search: “PMA_.1975-5-1”
• Quilt, artist unknown
  ARTstor search: “PMA_.1994-102-4”

Background:

Introduce students to polygons (closed, straight-sided, 2-D shapes) and the different names for polygons (triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, hexagon, etc.). Give students pre-cut 1 x 1" construction paper squares, which they will cut in half, diagonally. Have them experiment with how many shapes they can make using exactly four triangles. How many quadrilaterals can be made? Triangles? Pentagons? Hexagons?

Lesson process:

Day One
Begin with a discussion:

• What is a patchwork quilt?
• Can you figure out why people have made patchwork quilts for centuries?
• Students can brainstorm reasons why, such as:
• To keep warm
• To make use of scraps of fabric so that nothing goes to waste
• To tell a story
• To preserve the memory of someone
• To celebrate a marriage or birth
• To create something beautiful

Introduce some different geometric shapes and patterns that people have used in patchwork quilts by projecting images from the above list.

Discuss the different shapes that are used in each, and the different shapes and patterns that are created within the larger design. How do the shapes fit together? How do you think the quiltmakers put these quilts together? Do you think they started at the edges or in the center? What do you see that makes you say that? Are these designs symmetrical? Why or why not?

Day Two
Explain to students that today they’ll be exploring what kinds of designs they can make with triangles and squares. In pairs, have students cut two-inch squares out of colored construction paper (12 x 18”). Each pair of students can select two colors of paper for their shapes. Have them make tick marks along the edges of the paper using a yardstick and draw lines to connect the ticks. Finally, they’ll cut the squares, and cut some of them again diagonally to get two triangles. Now, ask them to make two different designs in 4 x 4” squares (see Worksheet A). When they’re happy with their designs, they can glue the pieces of paper down.

Day Three
Explain that today’s mission is to make a bigger design using the same squares and triangles. Using the same shape sizes and colors as yesterday, ask students to create a larger, 16-block square (see Worksheet B). They may use their designs from Day Two, either with or without borders, or create a new design.

Day Four
Now it’s time to make 100-patch paper quilts! Give each student a 20 x 20” piece of paper (heavy weight) and a glue stick. Have students draw a grid of 2 x 2” squares to fill the entire paper. Discuss design possibilities. How might you use last time’s design on the bigger grid? Will you use it as a center and then build outward? Use it as a repeated design in the four corners? Perhaps you will come up with a new design! Look at the images of quilts for design ideas. The only rule in this assignment is to come up with some kind of design or pattern.

Discussion (Assessment):

Display the students’ 100-patch paper quilts in the classroom and discuss their shapes and patterns. How many different polygons were created? Are the designs symmetrical or asymmetrical? What are some similarities between the quilts?

Extension:

Provide students with a grid of 100 dots. Have them connect dots to create shapes, aiming to make a symmetrical design, which they will then fill with color. Note: They do not have to use every single dot, but the entire grid should be colored in.

Enrichment:

Read and discuss Valerie Flournoy’s book The Patchwork Quilt, which is about a young girl and a patchwork quilt that her grandmother sews. Discuss why the quilt is special to Tanya, her grandmother, and her family.

Flournoy, Valerie. The Patchwork Quilt. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1985.

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