Lesson: The Colorful Life of Flowers

Play the video “Powerful Plants!” Then, before or after reading the article, spark a discussion based on the following questions:

• List 3 things you know about plants.
• Describe some ways in which flowers can be different from each other.
• In what ways could a person use math when planning a garden?

• Ask students to get an 8.5-by-11-inch blank sheet of paper.
• What shape is your paper? (a rectangle)
• Fold your paper in half to create a horizontal line or crease, like the horizon of a sun. Is the top of your paper the same as the bottom when opened? (Yes)
• Now fold your paper in half to create a vertical line or crease. Is the left side of your paper the same as the right side when opened? (Yes)
• Have students draw lines over the creases in their paper. You have just drawn 2 lines of symmetry on your rectangle.The top of your paper mirrors, or is the same as, the bottom, and the left side of the paper mirrors the right side.
• Is there a diagonal line of symmetry? Explain. (No, the two sides of the diagonal line are not the same/symmetrical.)

• What type of line does the example use to mark the lines of symmetry? (a dashed line)
• What could you change on the key to make it have at least one line of symmetry? (Answers will vary. Possible answer: Make the right side of the key a straight edge like the left side.)
• Where else can you find examples of symmetry around you? (Answers will vary.)

Have students complete problems 1 through 5 on page 7 of the article.

Skills Sheets: Level Down: Lines of Symmetry Match (4.G.A.3) | On Level: DynaDash: Lines of Symmetry (4.G.A.3) | Level Up: Symmetry in Complex Shapes (4.G.A.3)

SEL (Social-emotional learning activity/prompt): The scientists in this article are trying to better understand the relationship between genes and physical traits in plants. Have students think about what traits make them unique or different from others. Encourage students to talk with their families about their family history, inherited traits like eye or hair color, and more.

Dynamath@Home: Have students look for items around their home or outside that have lines of symmetry. Task students in finding at least one item of each with: no line of symmetry, 1 line of symmetry, 2 lines of symmetry, and 3 or more lines of symmetry. Students can photograph or draw their items, and then draw the lines of symmetry on top of the images.