Doodle Snowflakes: Geometry and Symmetry
In this lesson, students will work individually using the 3Doodler pens to doodle a geometrical snowflake that is also symmetrical. Students will review the concepts of geometry, patterns, and symmetry.

Knowledge
Students have
Learned about shapes, like polygons
Explored a variety of patterns prior to this activity
Had practice creating symmetrical designs
Learned about shapes, like polygons
Explored a variety of patterns prior to this activity
Had practice creating symmetrical designs
Objectives
Students will
Build snowflakes using pattern blocks
Create their own design plan for a geometrical snowflake that is also symmetrical
Create a 3D snowflake with the 3Doodler pens using their own design plan
Build snowflakes using pattern blocks
Create their own design plan for a geometrical snowflake that is also symmetrical
Create a 3D snowflake with the 3Doodler pens using their own design plan
Materials
Students will need
"Snowflake Bentley" by Jacqueline Briggs Martin using the book or this read aloud
Patty paper (allows for a better result) or index cards (1 per student)
3Doodler pen (1 per student or pair)
Filament (about 3 strands per student)
"Snowflake Bentley" by Jacqueline Briggs Martin using the book or this read aloud
Patty paper (allows for a better result) or index cards (1 per student)
3Doodler pen (1 per student or pair)
Filament (about 3 strands per student)
Lesson Plan
Instructions
Step 1
Read the story Snowflake Bentley to your students. The digital read aloud can be found using this web link.
Step 2
Review with students what makes each snowflake unique. (Six branches that come off the center of a snowflake create a unique design each time.)
Step 3
Brainstorm 2D shapes that students know (ie. circle, square, triangle, trapezoid, diamond, pentagon, hexagon, octagon).
Step 4
Review how these 2D shapes can be used to create a pattern.
Step 5
Using pattern blocks, have students create a snowflake that has a pattern.
Step 6
Give students time to look at their peers’ patterns. What type of patterns do they see? Are any of the designs symmetrical?
Step 7
Review what it means to be symmetrical.
Step 8
If needed, guide students to redesign their pattern block snowflake to create a snowflake that is also symmetrical.
Step 9
Now have students take this thinking a step further by using patty paper to create a plan for their own snowflakes that are symmetrical. Demonstrate to students how they can fold their patty paper in half to create a symmetrical design. They can do this by drawing on half of the patty paper and rubbing the pencil, so it is transferred to the opposite side of the paper.
Step 10
Students should create a plan showing a symmetrical snowflake that creates a pattern with at least 3 different polygons.
Step 11
Students should use the 3Doodler pens to Doodle over their plan on the patty paper.
Step 12
Remove the snowflake from the patty paper. Feel free to hang the Doodled snowflakes around the room for a festive display.
Step 13 - TIPS
-Remind students to use the entire patty paper to create their snowflake. Using a larger amount of space will make it easier to print using the 3Doodler pens.
-Remind students to make sure their shapes are connected on their plan, so when the snowflake is removed from the patty paper it comes off in one piece instead of multiple pieces.
-Have students doodle over their plan at least two times. Creating a thicker design will help prevent the snowflake from falling apart when removed from the patty paper.
Read the story Snowflake Bentley to your students. The digital read aloud can be found using this web link.
Review with students what makes each snowflake unique. (Six branches that come off the center of a snowflake create a unique design each time.)
Brainstorm 2D shapes that students know (ie. circle, square, triangle, trapezoid, diamond, pentagon, hexagon, octagon).
Review how these 2D shapes can be used to create a pattern.
Using pattern blocks, have students create a snowflake that has a pattern.
Give students time to look at their peers’ patterns. What type of patterns do they see? Are any of the designs symmetrical?
Review what it means to be symmetrical.
If needed, guide students to redesign their pattern block snowflake to create a snowflake that is also symmetrical.
Now have students take this thinking a step further by using patty paper to create a plan for their own snowflakes that are symmetrical. Demonstrate to students how they can fold their patty paper in half to create a symmetrical design. They can do this by drawing on half of the patty paper and rubbing the pencil, so it is transferred to the opposite side of the paper.
Students should create a plan showing a symmetrical snowflake that creates a pattern with at least 3 different polygons.
Students should use the 3Doodler pens to Doodle over their plan on the patty paper.
Remove the snowflake from the patty paper. Feel free to hang the Doodled snowflakes around the room for a festive display.
-Remind students to use the entire patty paper to create their snowflake. Using a larger amount of space will make it easier to print using the 3Doodler pens.
-Remind students to make sure their shapes are connected on their plan, so when the snowflake is removed from the patty paper it comes off in one piece instead of multiple pieces.
-Have students doodle over their plan at least two times. Creating a thicker design will help prevent the snowflake from falling apart when removed from the patty paper.
Wrap Up
Assessment
Possible Extensions
Resources
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin digital read aloud
3Doodler Snowflakes Slideshow by Brittany Ballou
ABCya! game using this web link
Vocabulary
2D - of, relating to, or representing something in two dimensions.
3D - of, relating to, or representing something in three dimensions.
pattern - an artistic, musical, literary, or mechanical design or form.
polygon - a plane figure with at least three straight sides and angles, and typically five or more.
symmetry - the correspondence in size, form, and arrangement of parts on opposite sides of a plane, line, or point; regularity of form or arrangement in terms of like, reciprocal, or corresponding parts.
Educational Standards
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups
The students will discuss geometry, patterns, and symmetry with peers and the teacher.
Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes, such as a given number of angles or a given number of equal faces. Identify triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and cubes.
Students will recognize and create geometric shapes with the 3Doodler pens.
Use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
Students use the 3Doodler pens to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways, as well as to enhance learning.
Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
Students will create original snowflakes with the 3Doodler pens.
Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.
Students use a deliberate design process to generate ideas and create 3D snowflakes with the 3Doodler pens.