Math Monday: Hexagon Honeycombs
jWe took a look at patterns in nature with the honeycomb. First we made several circles out of paper and attached them together. We noted that there were spaces between circles until we squeezed-the circles naturally began to form hexagons: six-sided polygons. Then we tested how many polygons fit together with such precision and pattern. Other than the triangle (which does not have as much interior space), we couldn't find a single shape that works better for a honeycomb.
We followed up with an amazing picture book called The Honeybee, which delves into the lives of the worlds greatest pollinators.