Balancing Bears

Balancing Bears, a Bear Elective Adventure

The Bear Cub Scout handbook says,”You are probably familiar with a basic math problem like 3 + 2 = 5. Mathematicians don’t call these problems; they call them equations. The equal sign means that the expressions on the left side and right side of the equal sign are the same, or you could think of them as being balanced.

Math doesn’t always involve adding and subtracting numbers. Finding patterns in things is the first step in becoming a mathematician. After spotting a pattern, a mathematician uses the math tools to find a way to recreate that pattern. In this Adventure, you’ll have fun making “trail mix math.” Then, you’ll look to nature and discover a world of mathematics called symmetry in which things are balanced.“

Read on to discover this adventure’s requirements and fun ways to complete them!

Requirements:

  1. Make trail mix using trail mix math.

  2. Identify an animal that has a pattern to its physical appearance. Investigate how the animal uses its pattern.

  3. Find examples of bilateral symmetry in nature.

  4. Find examples of radial symmetry in nature.