The relevance of the 3D-printing technology in mathematics education has largely increased in the last years. This triggers the discussion about the benefits of digital approaches and the relation of the digital and the classical approaches. This relation will be pursued in this article using the example of tessellation in primary school mathematics. The basis of the study is a three-day workshop at a primary school in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) in which students worked on the topic in a classical way and with 3D-printing technology. Reflection sheets, videographed group interviews and other data material are evaluated using the method of qualitative content analysis according to Mayring (2000) with a special focus on the theory of subjective domains of experience according to Bauersfeld (1983).