To set the stage for this lesson, you may wish to read another of the books listed in the Paper Quilts Bibliography, such as Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt, calling attention to quilt squares which show flips and slides. While students remain seated, give each child four white squares (or to save time, four copies of the chosen quilt square) and crayons or markers. Then display a quilt square and ask them to copy it four times in any color they wish, using the same colors each time. Some simple designs include:
To help focus discussion, you might display a model square on the chalkboard or overhead.
Provide students with a 6" × 6" square workmat divided into four equal parts. Have them label the small squares starting from the top left and going clockwise. The top positions, therefore, are numbered 1 and 2, position 3 will be under position 2, and position 4 will be under position 1.
Now ask children to place one of the colored 3" × 3" squares in position 1 and then to place an identical model square face up on top of it so that like parts are
touching. Then have them slide the top square down to position 4 so that it is
directly under the square in position 1. [The squares in positions 1 and 4 will
look the same.] Now have them place a third identical square on top of the square in position 1 so that sections colored alike are touching, then slide it into position 2, directly to the right of the square in position 1. Encourage students to find as many ways as they can of how they can slide a square into position 3. Then have them compare the 4 squares. [They will all look alike.]
Next ask children to place one of the colored 3" × 3" squares in position 1 and then to place an identical model square face up on top of it so that like
parts are touching. Then have them flip the top square down to position 4 so that it is directly under the square in position 1. [The square in position 4 will be flipped over to the side without a design.] Now have them place a third identical square on top of the square in position 1 so that sections colored alike are touching, then flip it into position 2. [The square in position 2 will also be showing the side without a design.] Next have them align the fourth square with the square in position 1, then slide it down into position 4 then across into position 3. Now ask them to compare the four squares. [Squares in positions 1 and 3 will look alike, as will the squares in positions 2 and 4.]
Then ask the students to put the 4 squares into a pile, place one of the squares in position 1, then explore several ways they can slide and flip the four squares to make Four Patch designs. You may wish the students to record one of the ways they found by gluing the four small squares on a sheet of paper and describing how the Four Patch square was created.
When the children are ready, call them together to share designs and describe how each of the squares is related to the other three squares. You may wish to reinforce the vocabulary they use by modeling it with demonstration squares. You may wish to ask the students to describe the results of the reflection and translations in written form.
