Symmetry

SYMMETRICAL TEMPLATES

SYMMETRY means the same. If something is symmetrical it can be folded or cut into 2 identical halves. The cut/fold line is called the line of symmetry. Some objects can have more than one line of symmetry.

FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS:

1) Cut out the images from the sheets above. Using the heart, frog, bug and butterfly images, let the students fold the pictures for the line of symmetry, and unfold the image to check that when they look at the picture it is the same on both sides. When they get the hang of that, they can draw a line down the center of the image without having to fold first.

2) Have the students partner up and using the same images, have one student color one half of it and have the other student color the other half so that it remains symmetrical.

FOR OLDER STUDENTS:

1) Cut out the images from the sheets above. Using all the images, explain the difference between BILATERAL and RADIAL symmetry. BILATERAL SYMMETRY has only one line of symmetry (examples are the frog, bug, butterfly and heart images). Can the students come up with other examples? Possibilities include the body, a face, etc. Challenge your students to see how many they can come up with. RADIAL SYMMETRY is symmetrical around a central axis meaning there are multiple lines of symmetry. Examples include the star and flower images. Can your students think of other examples? Possibilities include Squares, Circles, and Equilateral Triangles. Challenge your students to see how many they can think of.

2) Using paper squares and scissors, have the students fold and cut the paper to make paper snowflakes. Discuss how the number of lines of symmetry depends on the number of folds made.

3) Have students hold a small mirror perpendicular to an image. They should see the "other half" of the image in the mirror. This is called REFLECTION.