My grade five students finished their geometric art designs. This was a lesson we did during Ramadan to celebrate the beautiful and different geometric designs found in Islamic art.
Each student received a large octagon shape, ruler, pencil and eraser. They were to create lines linking corner points of the octagon to create a symmetrical design. This is a great time to discuss and review symmetry.
Next, they colored in their design symmetrically using up to four colors.
The final step was to cut out their finished designs, glue them onto a colored piece of construction paper and trim them to fit the octagon shape.
Don’t you just love how these turned out?
ART LESSONS FOR KIDS 
Hi! I’m writing you from Salem, Oregon in the US. The art that your students have done here is so, so beautiful. I am wondering if I might use some for the background of a website I’m doing for my son’s school parents club? It’s a nonprofit, volunteer organization. I would give your site credit for it, together with a link to it. Email me. Thanks so much for making this site!
-Mary Ellen Scofield
This is a great idea! Would you comment on the proper way to construct a true octagon? My sides don’t come out exactly right. Close, but that isn’t good enough!
Thanks,
Pam
Hi Pam, I run into the same problem all the time! I found this site that should help you the next time you want that perfect octagon! http://geometry.s1tes.com/octagon.html Have fun and thanks for stopping by. 🙂
nice work..it helped me taking my design class .
Wow, that was great!!! Thank you!!
great ideas Im teaching some challenging kids and am sure this will interest them. I got the template for an octagon off google images, lazy?
Not lazy, just very practical! I do the same!
Thank you for this post! The result is absolutely beautiful! The class i’ll be on are looking at the properties in 2D shapes. Because they are such a creative bunch, I wanted to do an art experience with them. This is perfect! I love how each one looks so different!! That is the true meaning behind art lessons, is that each student has their chance at personal expression! This experience nails it!!
I am teaching a radial design/symmetry lesson right now and I am having trouble with how to get the kids to apply color so it is symmetrical. I think it must be how I am explaining it. Any thoughts?
Hi Sara. There are two techniques I use that might help you if you haven’t tried it yet. Have your students work with one half at a time and once they are done they copy their color choices onto the other half. Folding the paper in half might help. Or, as they color one side, they have to color the exact opposite side before changing colors. I hope this helps. Let me know how it goes 🙂
I’m new at teaching art. I also have to teach Grade 3 – 6 Geometry. Thank you for supplying my first lesson 🙂 Here I give it a go. Where did you get the template for the image? What sized paper is it on?
Hi and thanks for stopping by! I did a Google search for an octagon shape and then printed it LARGE on an A3 paper. Alternatively, you can draw it yourself or get your students to do it if they are older. Have fun and don’t forget to join my private Facebook group just for elementary art Teachers called THE INSPIRED ELEMENTARY ART TEACHER.