This is part of my 15 Minute Focus series of STEM learning activities. Children explore radial symmetry with drawing or with objects.

Objective: children can demonstrate the concept of radial symmetry by drawing on a template.

Supplies:

• book (Snow is Falling by Branley, It’s Snowing by Gibbons; A Million Snowflakes, or some other book – you just want to show a short segment that has pictures of snowflakes and shows / talks about how all snowflakes have six points, but otherwise, they’re all different.)
• a mirror (or two)
• snowflake shape (you can use a felt snowflake, snowflake Christmas ornament – whatever you have, or make a paper snowflake – just be sure it’s 6 sided)
• prep one paper for each child and one for you that each have 3 lines drawn on to make a 6 pointed shape (note: it’s easiest if you start with square papers
• crayons, markers or pencils OR small objects: glass marbles, cotton balls, pasta, foam or wood shapes – whatever you have

Intro

Read a bit of the book, show them a mirror and talk about how their face is reflected in the mirror, and we call that a mirror image. Then set the mirror in the middle of your snowflake shape. See how you can see half a snowflake in the real object and the other half in the reflection? Then set up two mirrors at a 120 degree angle and place them so you can see one third of the snowflake between the mirrors and show how  you can still see a whole snowflake captured in the mirrors.

Give them each a paper. Help them notice and count the six points – hold a finger on the first one you count so you remember where you started.

Then tell them they’re going to copy exactly what you do. Draw a small circle at the end of each point. They copy you. Then draw a line on each point, halfway between the circle and the center… and so on. Have them notice that all six points are still the same. This idea is radial symmetry. I don’t expect them to really learn that term, but I can mention it.

This was my original drawing.

Please note: on the day I did these drawings, I MADE A MISTAKE! I drew 8 pointed / 8 armed shapes. They should be 6 to be snowflakes!!!

And here are examples of snowflakes drawn by four-year-olds.

Instead of drawing the snowflake, you can also lay one out with small objects, like glass stones, pasta, other craft supplies, or tangrams / pattern blocks. You make a sample and they copy each step as you go along.

If you have activity stations in a classroom for independent exploration, this an be a loose parts activity or a drawing activity. Here is a little poster you can make that explains how to do this.

Song: Little Snowflake Swirling Round (tune: London Bridges)
Little snowflake twirling round
Twirling round, twirling round
Little snowflake twirling round
Lands on my head!
[Pretend to hold a snowflake with your thumb and finger, and have it land on your head. Repeat with different body parts.]

Note: I tried having kids all cut paper snowflakes, and I discovered that 4 year olds’ scissor skills and hand strength aren’t strong enough to make the snowflake themselves. But, with older kids, I would include this activity.