Symmetry year 2

[EYFS]

Anyone any ideas my teacher as told me to do symmetry with the class i am going to use ICT but want a practical activity too making something any ideas?

[KS1Teacher]

Depending on how practical you can be, I've used Paint before, you get the children to fold a piece of paper in half, paint on one side, then fold over, showing the line of symmetry. Get them to first understand what the symmetry line is through demonstration like using a meter stick on objects like rectangles, then use a child and say how they aren't semetrical. then introduce the idea of lines of symmetry, followed by the practical activity.

[EYFS]

yeah thanks nice idea i was thinking of them making their own symmertrical pattern after explaining before with powerpoint and going to use ur idea, what do you think?

[KS1Teacher]

That sounds good, yea. It's hard for them to understand the idea of repeated patterns, just don't make it too complex and they will understand.

[Joanna]

A really simple idea I've used with years 3- 5 (and they all love it!) is to cut out different shapes on brightly coloured/patterned paper and then stick it onto black in a symmetrical pattern. It feels like a fun maths lesson, but is an instant display.
Also, as a starter to the lesson, I stand at the front and make shapes (!) with my body and ask them to tell me if I'm symmetrical or not and why they think that. Then I encourage the children to have a go - also a great link to gymnastics work - symmetrical routines working with a partner.
Hope some of this helps! Have Fun!
Jo x

[EYFS]

Oh thats brill
thanks so much for the ideas!
Lisa
x

[jfield]

Hi

If they have Colour Magic (RM) software you can use the symmetry option (in the image menu).

It works really well

[EYFS]

Hi

If they have Colour Magic (RM) software you can use the symmetry option (in the image menu).

It works really well

Thankyou for that i will try that next time!

[Northern_Teacher]

Most of the graphics programs used in school (Dazzle, Textease, Blackcat etc.) have great symmetry tools (both one line of symmetry and two) and as jfield says they work really well.

What I've done in the past is to pre-load in a butterfly template (black outline) and got the children to decorate them using the graphics tools. Obviously we spent a fair amount of time beforehand looking at real photographs of butterflies and insects to show symmetry in nature and also to give the kids an idea of the sort of patterns they could create.