Geometry In Nature - Geometry Worksheets printable pdf download

Title: Geometry in Nature

Topics: geometry, geometry in nature, biomimicry,

native plants, seed dispersal

Disciplines:

mathematics,

geometry,

biology, ecology

Objectives:

A. Learn about geometry in nature.

B. Work in teams to build a sculpture.

Lesson:

A. Introduction (20 minutes)

The demands of nature have driven many organisms to coopt patterns of growth that

we might not immediately associate with the natural world, instead resembling patterns we

might expect to see in a geometry textbook or design magazine. A problem common to

organisms across the tree of life is how to fit as much of something into as small a place as

possible – for example, bees packing honey in a hive, flowers packing seeds in a seed head,

mammalian intestines packing as much surface area as possible into an abdomen. This often

results in geometric patterns that might be described by a mathematician; bees use repeating

hexagons to pack as many larval chambers as possible into one hive and the pattern of seeds in

a sunflower can be described using the Fibonacci sequence.

We can observe another geometric pattern in a plant species that you might find in your

backyard. Bee balm is a fragrant member of the mint family indigenous to much of North

America where it can be found in relatively dry, open areas like prairies, old fields, roadsides,

and forest margins. Its purple flowers are pollinated by bees, butterflies, moths, and other

flying insects, and the plant can be made into tea which was used by Native Americans to treat

cold and flu symptoms.

When it’s done flowering, the seed head persists on the plant and its complex geometry

can be observed first hand. The seed head is shaped like a sphere, but is made up of many

truncated cones. (Imagine cutting an ice cream cone in half; we’re talking about the half with

two holes.) Each cone contains four seeds so the inherent design of the seed head serves both

to pack as many seeds as possible into a small space, while also aiding in moving seeds afield to

sprout. As the seed head is tossed about by winter winds, the seeds are rattled in the seed head

and scattered around the plant. If the seed head breaks off, it may roll away like a tumble

weed, scattering the seeds far and wide to germinate in the absence of competition with their

parents for light and nutrients.

Our art project today will guide you through how to make a biomimetic model of the

bee balm seed head which can be used to explore the idea of geometry in nature and get you

thinking about the plants in your own backyard.

Geometry In Nature - Geometry Worksheets