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Finding and Making Patterns in Science What is a pattern? Patterns in Nature: Symmetry

What is a pattern? A pattern is a repeated shape, event or way of doing something. Repeat means to do something again and again or many times. Patterns are in nature. Humans make patterns. Patterns are everywhere!

Symmetry is when something has two sides or halves that are the same. “Halves” is plural for half or ½ . ½ + ½ = 2/2 or 1

Mirror or Reflection symmetry: one half is the reflection of the second half (“return of light”)

reflect (verb) = to bend back reflection (noun) = an image

reflective (adjective) = able to throw or bend back

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Math

Reflection or Reflective Symmetry re = again flect / flex = bend flexible (adjective) reflexive (adjective) reflector (noun)

Geometric Shapes

Science Bilateral symmetry: two matching sides bi = two (2) lateral = side view

sea crab butterfly

Science Radial symmetry: a center point or axis Rays from axis

Radial (adjective) Radius (noun)

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Patterns in Nature: Spirals Patterns in Nature: Snowflakes

fingerprint

whirlpool

pine cone

seashell

sunflower

ram’s horn

Snowflakes are ice crystals. A snowflake has six sides or “sixfold symmetry.” It is made of about 200 ice crystals. When it is freezing, or below 32° F for 0° C, ice crystals form around tiny pieces of dirt. The dirt is carried into the atmosphere or to the air around the earth. When the snow crystals grow, they become heavy. Then, the snow crystals fall to the ground.

Patterns in Nature: Tree Rings Patterns in Nature: Leaf and Leaves

Trees live longer than most plants. The trunk, or stem of the tree, grows differently. Scientists study the rings or layers of a tree trunk. They learn the age of the tree. Trees also tell us about the natural world. We can learn when there was (1) a flood (too much water), (2) a drought (too little water), (3) a lightening strike (hit the tree), (4) an earthquake, (5) too many insects or (6) a change in climate.

Trees have leaves. Leaves have veins. The veins transport water and food. The veins also give the leaf (one) or leaves (more than one) structure. They are like a skleton or the bones of an animal or human. Also, the veins form a pattern.

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Human-Made Pattern: Hub-and-Spoke System in communication Human-Made Pattern: Hub-and-Spoke System in transportations People have also created processes based on a pattern. Communication, or speaking, listening, reading and writing, can be a hub-and-spoke system. A hub-and-spoke system has the hub at the center. The spokes are connected to the hub. The website is the hub. The spokes are the social media: twitter, google plus, facebook, youtube, and linkedin. In this pattern, you have to go to the website, the hub, to go to the social media, the spokes.

A popular hub-and-spoke system is for transportation. For example, the airport in Boston, Massachusetts is the hub city. Many airline flights start or end in Boston. The other cities are the spokes. The system makes transportation more effective or economical. It can save money for the passenger and airline. Wheel

hub

spokes

Human-Made Pattern: A Truss or Trusses Scientist and Patterns A truss makes a bridge and roof strong. The trusses transfer or move the weight. The triangle pattern keeps the bridge and roof in place. The forces that pull and push are balanced. Trusses are effective for making strong building and bridges.

Roof / Roofs

Scientists study patterns to make predictions. A prediction is an idea about what will happen in the future. Scientists use data or evidence to make their predictions. For example, scientists study the weather over many years, climate, to predict temperature.

How can we use patterns to make predictions? How can we use patterns to build things? How can we use patterns to understand our world?

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Wilson A. Bentley: “The Snowflake Man” Farmer to Snowflake Man “No two snowflakes are alike.”

Are two snowflakes alike? A farmer in Jericho, Vermont answered the question. The farmer’s name was Wilson A. Bentley.

Wilson Bentley was born in 1865. The town of Jericho, Vermont had long, cold winters. Most children worked and did not go to school. Wilson’s mother was a teacher. His mother was his teacher. He studied at his home. He did not go to school until he was 14 years old. When he was 15, his mother gave him a small microscope. Wilson loved to study things under his microscope. His favorite thing to study was snowflakes or snow crystals.

Wilson had an idea. He would photograph snowflakes. He bought a camera. He used the microscope with the camera. It took many months to get a picture. Finally, on January 15, 1885, he was the first person to photograph a single, or one, snow crystal! Wilson took pictures of more than 5000 snowflakes. All snowflakes are unique or different. He wrote articles for magazines. In 1931, he published a book – Snow Crystals. The book had over 2400 pictures of snow crystals. In December 1931, Wilson died. He was 66 years old. He proved no two snowflakes are the same or alike.

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