Students explore patterns and symmetry — the repeating and mirroring that make art (and nature) feel balanced, from a striped design to a butterfly’s wings.
Students will be able to…
Why do a butterfly, a snowflake, and a tiled floor all feel so pleasing to look at? The answer is pattern and symmetry.
Project this and tap each type of pattern and symmetry. Have students find an example of each in the classroom or in nature.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
A butterfly, a snowflake, a tiled floor — what do they share?
Teacher teaches the ideas.
Students create.
Students present.
Students reflect on balance.
Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards.
Create artwork using patterns, balance, and symmetry.
Collaborate to develop a design using repetition and balance.
Analyze how design principles like pattern are used in art.
Recognize pattern and symmetry in art and nature across cultures.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students paint one wing, fold the paper to print a matching mirror wing, and create a perfectly symmetrical butterfly. A printable fold-and-print template is in the Arts library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.