Symmetry Lesson Plan

Grade Level: 4
Objectives

1. Given a shape, students will be able to identify if it is symmetrical, with no

errors.
2. Using pattern blocks, students will be able to identify all six geometric shapes
within one minute.

Target Audience
and Learning
Environment

The target audience is 4th graders in the College Mentors for Kids program. The
learning environment is a classroom on Purdues campus.

Materials

Partner-matching cards
Pattern Blocks
Paint
Paper
Crayons or colored pencils
Paintbrushes
Paper towel
E-board
Photos of symmetrical objects
Pattern block worksheet
Video about painting symmetry

Set Up and
Preparation

Gather materials
Make copies of the worksheet
Explain the topic to college helpers and make sure they would be able to
demonstrate the two activities to the students
Set up paint supplies

Procedure

Welcome the class

Basic explanation of symmetry and an example (Video)
Bring up picture examples of symmetry from the internet on the eboard
and have the students draw the lines of symmetry on the eboard
Pass out the symmetry cards and have the students find their partner
with the symmetrical card
Half of the cards will be made with yellow, red, and orange colors and
kids with these cards will go to the painting activity first. The second
half of the cards will be make with blue, purple, and green colors and
kids with these cards will go to the pattern block activity first.
They will spend 15 minutes at each activity
After they complete both activities, have the kids return to their seats.

Symmetrical Painting Activity

Have the college helpers demonstrate
Fold the paper in half and then unfold it
Paint on one side of the papers crease
Refold it to get paint on the other side

Open the paper back up and explain why there is symmetry

Pattern Block Activity

Have the college helpers provide an example
Students should make a symmetrical design using pattern blocks
Students should count up the number of each type of block
Using the worksheet, kids should create a bar graph for each type of
block to compare the amount of geometrical shapes used in the design

Assessment

Students will be given a worksheet with various shapes and they should draw
where the line of symmetry is or leave it blank if there is not a line of symmetry
for that shape.

Standards

4.G.1: Identify, describe, and draw parallelograms, rhombuses, and trapezoids

using appropriate tools (e.g., ruler, straightedge and technology)
4.G.2: Recognize and draw lines of symmetry in two-dimensional figures.
Identify figures that have lines of symmetry.