Sub-Project: Fibonacci Spirals
Description: Have you ever pulled the petals off of a daisy? If you take a close look, you will notice that the yellow center is not solid, made up of one piece. In fact, it is made up of sets of spirals that go out from the center out. You can find these spirals everywhere in nature, from vegetables to sea shells and these spirals can be explained through the Fibonacci series. This picture is a perfect example of a Fibonacci spiral in nature. It’s called a “Romanesco cauliflower” and takes nine months from seed to harvest. Nature is all about math. Why don’t you go on your Fibonacci spiral hunt and see how many spirals you can find in vegetables and flowers around you?!
Combine this activity with the book reading of this beautifully illustrated book Swirl By Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman. Another perfect book to further this project is “Growing Patterns – Fibonacci Numbers in Nature” by Sarah C. Campbell.
Collaborative Project: It’s amazing how you start seeing Fibonacci Spirals everywhere you look, once you’re aware of them. Find a classroom to collaborate with and see what spirals they find in nature.
Learning Objectives: Identifying Fibonacci patterns in nature
Time frame: whole year
Collaborative Form
The Global Classroom 