Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Identify and describe the exponential growth of a hypothetical dividing cell.
• Create a graph showing the results of cell division.
• Examine examples of patterns in nature.
• Create a patterned visual art piece.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Next Generation Science StandardsNext Generation Science Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Cell Division Chart
• Vocabulary: Cellular Patterns in Nature

Videos

• The Link Between Zebra Stripes and Sand Dunes | Natural Patterns

Websites

• Cells Alive
• Adam Gibb’s Patterns in Nature
• Math Patterns in Nature
• Sixteen Jackie’s

Teacher Background

Teachers should have an understanding of cell reproduction, the Fibonacci sequence, tessellation, and other mathematical patterning found in nature.  

Student Prerequisites 

Students should have a basic understanding of cell anatomy and function, including mitosis. Students should have some experience with exponents, drawing and interpreting graphs, and using microscopes.

Accessibility Notes

Modifications can be made by utilizing large grid paper and/or templates for creating patterns. Increase scale or use assistive drawing tools. Provide one-to-one aide assistance as necessary.

Engage

1. Have students share what they know about living things, including cells, reproduction, and the process of mitosis. Point out that different plants and animals take different lengths of time to reproduce and explain to students that different cells also reproduce at different rates, even within the same organism. Some cells take 20 minutes to reproduce, while others may take 24 hours. Some, like skin cells, continually reproduce, while others, like those in the liver, don’t usually reproduce in adult humans at all.

2. Divide students into groups of 2-3. Tell students they are going to calculate the number of cells produced in a hypothetical scenario. Have them imagine a cell that divides into two cells every hour for 12 hours. Assuming no cells die during the 12-hour period, how many cells would exist after 12 hours? 

3. Distribute the Cell Division Chart. Have students calculate cell numbers for each hour up to 12 hours, then graph the data in their science journals. One axis of the graph should represent the number of cells and the other axis should represent the hours up to the 12th hour. Allow students to compare their results with other students. Ask students: What mathematical patterns do you notice in the graph?

4. Have students look at cells under a microscope in small groups. If you do not have microscopes available in the classroom, students can look at images of cells from Cells Alive! As students continue to look at cells throughout the lesson, they should begin to notice patterns within, based on, or comprised of cells.

Build

1. Find patterns in nature. Discuss with students that patterns in nature can be random or repeated. The forest with all its trees is a random repeated pattern, as are waves in an ocean, or cars lined up along the street. Have students find different patterns in their current surroundings. Compare results and list some examples of both random and repeated patterns.

2. Watch The Link Between Zebra Stripes and Sand Dunes | Natural Patterns. Show students more examples of patterns that artists have captured from nature. View artists’ images of patterns in nature on these websites:

Adam Gibb’s Patterns in Nature

Math Patterns in Nature

3. Discuss the patterns as works of art. The galleries above show works of photography or microscopy (photography using an electron microscope). These patterns existed in nature but were captured and presented in intentional ways by artists. Ask students to compare the range of images and approaches, noticing the style and creativity of the artists. Explain to students that the artists were creative in their presentation of the patterns, thus creating a vibrant and original piece of art from nature.

4. As a class, list some of the choices the artists made in their representation of the patterns of nature. Some characteristics to include are: Using only a portion of the original design, changing the angle of vision, repeating the shapes from a variety of views, and connecting patterns together.

5. Look more closely at the natural patterns in cells. As a class, focus on the cells viewed in the microscopes or on images of cells. Point out how each cell contains a series of lines, which are joined together to create a pattern, and then repeated. The lines can be wavy, thick, thin, circular, zigzag, short or long, tiny or massive.

Apply

1. Tell students to sketch a cell pattern that they would like to make into a visual art piece. Allow them to use a microscope or magnifying glass as they copy the cell, encouraging them to use the level of accuracy and detail that a scientific illustrator would use. Remind them to be as accurate as possible with line and color.

2. Have students create a patterned picture based on their completed cell drawing. Have students take a 12” x 18” sheet of heavy white paper and divide it into 24 equal boxes. They will now have to decide how to display their cell. Discuss some possible approaches:

- Use various colors and shapes (hexagons, spirals, and stripes) 

- Repeat the same cell in each box. (Andy Warhol used a similar technique in Sixteen Jackie’s)

- Repeat the cell in each box but vary it by turning it upside down

- Repeat the same cell but flip it in each box

- Repeat the cell but rotate it in a random or regular pattern

- Show different parts of the cell in each box

- Offset the cell images by showing both the top and bottom of the image in a box, but reversing the order in neighboring boxes

3. Encourage students to use paint, textiles, recyclables, drawing materials (ink pen, markers, colored pencils, pastels, etc.), or graphic design be creative in their patterning. Allow time for students to complete their artwork.

Reflect 

1. Display the finished artwork. Have students view and discuss the patterns with their peers. Ask students: How are the results of this activity different from what would happen in nature? How would the data/numbers be different? Introduce the following points with students:

- Cells die as well as divide.

- New cells have to reach a certain size before they’ll divide.

- Cells reach a point at which the rate of death is equal to the rate of division, so the population of cells doesn’t normally keep dividing indefinitely.

- Cells are less tidy than the boxes on the paper.

- Animal cells have membranes, but plant cells and other cells also have cell walls. The patterns created by cells with and without walls differ.