Patterns in Nature

A picture of my son exploring symetry with blocks and a reflective “mirror”

Materials:

Nature Journal, writing utensil of choice, a nature walk

Activity:

After a quick review or mini-lesson on symmetry have the kids go on a “symmetry hunt” in nature. Drawing their discoveries in their nature journal.

Younger:

Bring along a thin mirror and place it in the middle of the object the younger child suspects to be symmetrical. Have them look at the reflection of the side the mirror is facing. If the other side matches the reflection in the mirror it is symmetrical!

Older:

If the older children are already familiar with symmetry have them look up the Fibonacci sequence and golden ratio and go on a hunt for those patterns instead.

Take it Further:

Have a mini-lesson on patterns in nature. Seek out other sequences and patterns on your nature outing. The book “A beginner’s guide to constructing the universe” below is not a children’s book but is an excellent resource for mama’s scholé when diving deep into patterns found in nature. Check out the chapter on Fibbonochi then teach some of the concepts to your older kids when looking for patterns in nature and art then have them read this “autobiography” of Fibonacci- a living book about a boy who saw the world in a way that changed the way we saw it forever.