Caterpillar to Butterfly: Comparing Using Symmetry

Grade Level: PK- K
Classroom Time: Two 45 min. periods

Skills Addressed

Math: Recognizing symmetry
Visual arts skill: Symmetry in art

Process: Day One

The teacher will present to the class several pictures showing symmetry (covering one half of the picture) asking students to guess the object. Then the teacher will hold a mirror up to the side of the picture on the line(s) of symmetry. The teacher introduces the skill of symmetry by posting a sentence strip with the words and definitions on it.
Symmetry: Line of symmetry divides the shape in two identical parts. The teacher will call two students to the front of the class (preferably a boy and a girl) and tell the class that they will compare their own faces using the mirror, placing the mirror on the line of symmetry of their face.
The teacher will show the Video Number crew: Symmetrical Number crew. This video will allow students to identify symmetrical and nonsymmetrical objects. You can find this video:www.unitedstreaming.com ( 9 minutes)
Activity: Symmetry scavenger hunt. Students will hunt for objects in or/and out of the classroom that are symmetrical and unsymmetrical.
Using the objects from the activity above, students will compare and contrast all the objects hunted. The teacher will lead students in guided practice of the skill using the interactive Venn diagram. This may be found online: www.readwritethink.org/materials/venn/index.html. You will want to practice the interactive process. Click on the HELP tab and then on Navigation to understand the process. When you are finished with either the HELP or the EDIT tabs, clicking on them removes the window. You will notice that only the categories move to the Venn diagram. The comments appear when you print the document, so you will want to do that.
Symmetrical Butterfly art activity.

Materials:
Coffee filters (1 per student)
Markers
Cup of water

Fold the coffee filter in half. Students will draw a multicolor caterpillar on one side of the coffee filter using water based markers. Then put the folded filter into the water to absorb some water (or mist with a spray bottle lightly). Let the coffee filter dry and open it to see a beautiful butterfly.

Process: Day two

Symmetry is a characteristic of butterflies. Review with the students characteristics of symmetry. Go to this website to show an interactive butterfly: http://www.adrianbruce.com/Symmetry/whiteboard-activity.htm
Since we are studying butterflies, we will now learn the life cycle of a butterfly.

Read the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Introduce the Butterfly Life Cycle Song http://www.earthsbirthday.org/butterflies/bflys/activitykit/unit4.html
Another Art Activity: You can even make art with food. http://drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2006/04_Apr/pg02.html
Looking at other kinds of art that use symmetry. An Islamic tile: http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=133117;type=101 Here's one that is a butterfly mask from Africa: http://artqtserver.art.uiowa.edu:8080/Mask_styles/Images/Nuna/source/burkina_0702_sawara.htm

National Math Standards:

Algebra Standard: Understand patterns, relations, and functions
Reasoning and Proof Standard: Make and investigate mathematical conjectures.
Problem Solving: Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving.

National Visual Arts Standards:

Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas.

Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.

Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.

Lesson created by Hector Buitrago, Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher at Sherman Elementary in Houston, Texas.

The mission of Project GRAD is to ensure a quality public education for all students in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school and college graduation rates increase.