Illustrative Mathematics
Hexagonal Pattern of Beehives
Young geometers and biologists investigate the math of nature in an activity that is just the bee's knees. Participants will study the tessellations of hexagons in a beehive, along with the natural rationale behind the specific shape....
Curated OER
A Honey of a Hexagon
Students explore how bees make honey and why the hexagon is the best basic pattern for the honeycomb through the use of a video and hands-on activities with honeycombs and geometric shapes.
Curated OER
Biology Tessellations
Young scholars review three types of polygons that are triangles, squares, and hexagons. They use a computer program to draw various types of tessellations. The students use the drawing of a honeybee as inspiration.
Curated OER
Buzz Up My Hive
Young scholars research bees. In this organisms lesson, students participate in various learning centers to find out more about bees. The centers include watching a video and taking notes, reading books about bees, and going on a...
Curated OER
Keeping in Shape
Third graders describe patterns in terms of reflection and rotation symmetry, and translations. They design and make a pattern which involves translation, reflection, or rotation. They demonstrate why a given tessellation covers the...
Curated OER
Electronic Geometry Notebook
Students examine the relationship between two and three dimensional shapes. They use their drawings to solve problems. They create a notebook of the formulas and how they relate to the real world.
Curated OER
Honeybee
Students investigate honeybees and the importance of honeybees to humans. They identify the various parts of a bee's body using velcro parts, role-play a hive, and answer review questions.
Illustrative Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics: G Mg Hexagonal Pattern of Beehives
Beehives are made of walls, each of the same size, enclosing small hexagonal cells where honey and pollen are stored and bees are raised. This problem examines some of the mathematical advantages of the hexagonal tiling in a beehive....