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Now that spring is here, nature is coming alive everywhere. From budding trees to blooming flowers to the spots on a ladybug, nature is full of different patterns. A pattern is a repeating sequence that follows a rule. While nature provides us with many beautiful patterns, they can also be made from numbers, sounds, colors, objects, and shapes.



In the Finding Patterns Gizmo, students study a sequence of three figures created by shading the squares of a grid. They analyze the number of shaded squares in each figure, create the fourth figure in the sequence, and discover the rule for the pattern. By analyzing and predicting patterns, students will develop critical and logical thinking skills.



As a challenge, students study the Fibonacci Sequence and try to figure out how each number in the sequence is determined by the previous numbers. As the numbers grow bigger, the ratio of each Fibonacci number to the previous number approaches 1.618…, an irrational number known as the golden ratio. This ratio is found in many places in nature, from the curve of a nautilus shell to the structure of a pinecone.



Click on the link below to view examples of the Fibonacci Sequence in plants: 5 Examples of the Fibonacci Sequence in Plants - SunnyScope