Over 9,000 student artworks were created during the project. Classes receiving the art lessons showed significantly improved understanding of the selected mathematics concepts compared to children not receiving art instruction. The overall results deomnstrate that art and mathematics are compatible disciplines whose integration can enhance learning in mathematics. Visual exemplars for each concept consisted of ten objects from the ECU School of Art's African Art Collection. For example, weaving was used to teach the concept of tessellation.
Tessellation is the covering of a plane by closed shapes without gaps or overlays.
A single shape can be used such as a square, a checkerboard, or equilateral triangles. More complex arrangements can also be developed from more than one shape such as the penrose kite and dart tiles. In this lesson, all children, K-12, created interesting tessellation patterns. Tessellation patterns can be found in the prints of M.C. Esher, Islamic architects, and in the art of cultures from around the world such as the tessallating triangles on a bowl with Mother of Pearl Encrustation, Micronesian Art c. 18c. These two cut-pile textiles have geometric designs in brown and cream.