Math and Patterns

http://g08.cgpublisher.com/proposals/187/index_html
Through the exploration of textiles we can explore a wide range of mathematical concepts relating to regularly repeating surface decoration from basic principles of symmetry to more complex issues of graph theory, group theory and topology. How do we classify and construct patterns and tilings?

A tessellation is created when a shape is repeated over and over again covering a plane without any gaps or overlaps.
Another word for a tessellation is a tiling. Read more here: What is a Tiling?
http://mathforum.org/sum95/suzanne/whattess.html
In my research into math pattern tools for my digital textile workshops I came across these two applets:
http://www.cgl.uwaterloo.ca/~csk/software/penrose/

and
http://www.cgl.uwaterloo.ca/~csk/software/spiral/

Some quick ideas for this spiral applet above:
The use of this site can be tailored for 4-6th grade if students are challenged to create several pattens and then identify the same patterns in nature, if they are challenged to identifying obtuse and acute angles in their pattern generations and then also explain the structural strength of a spiral. Why is this a common structural design choice in nature?

What other ideas might you have for this application?

tessilation site:
http://mathforum.org/sum95/suzanne/whattess.html
plug in sites from textile blog.
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/tesspag1.html
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/Lessons/6tessell.htm
http://www.vam.ac.uk/school_stdnts/schools/teachers_resources/textiles/index.html