
Welcome to another year of exploring the beauty of math in the world around us. I am looking forward to sharing our family’s math activities with you. Bookmark this page and come back each month to find free printables, activities and ideas to take your math outside. All the downloads are free for you to use with your family but if you would like to share them with others please link back to this page. Let’s have fun and discover math in nature!
Table of Contents
February – Symmetry


The book of nature is a fine and large piece of tapestry rolled up, which we are not able to see all at once, but must be content to wait for the discovery of its beauty, and symmetry, little by little, as it gradually comes to be more and more unfolded, or displayed. ~Robert Boyle

Our math this month takes us outside to discover symmetry all around us. Grab a hat, put on your walking boots and let’s find math in nature.


Symmetry can be found if one shape is exactly the same when it is moved, rotated or flipped.
Reflected symmetry can be found when one side of the shape is the mirror image of the other side.
- Look for reflected symmetry in leaves, insects and flowers.
- Take photos or draw in your nature journal.
- Draw a line to show the ‘line of symmetry’.
- Collect a bag of leaves, take a small hand mirror and ‘reflect’ the image along the line of symmetry.


Symmetry can also be rotational. Rotational symmetry can be found when an object looks the same as it rotates around a center point. As we rotate, we count at how many points the shape is identical. This is known as the order of symmetry. Flowers are a great way to discover rotational symmetry.
- Cut paper snowflakes of flowers to show rotational symmetry.
- Count the order of symmetry in flowers.
- Study some of the great artists to find both reflected and rotational symmetry.
- Read about the famous mathematician, Emmy Nother.


You can download our A4 PDF symmetry poster pack here.


For more symmetry fun, you might like this art project.

If you have ever wondered if Galaxy’s are symmetrical, you might like this post I wrote awhile back.

Have fun finding math around you! I’d love to see how you explored symmetry this month, send me your photos to jo.mathinnature@gmail.com and I’ll add them to the activity gallery!
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