Finding Fibonacci in the Natural World

The famous Fibonacci sequence is found in natural items including trees, flowers, fruits, both aquatic and terrestrial animals, and even weather events. The attached PDF guides the learner through a brief history of Fibonacci himself, examples of some naturally occurring objects, and a snapshot of how the sequence influences poets, composers, architects, scientists, and of course, mathematicians. With just a little bit of background knowledge, we hope you will adventure out to your backyard or green space, to see what natural elements you can find that may include the “Golden Ratio.”

We would love to see your examples! We are collecting images to appear in an upcoming Duke Farms exhibit. If you’re interested in this opportunity, you can email photos to Kate Reilly, Manager of Education at kreilly@dukefarms.org

This is a “get outside” activity for learners. It is directly aligned to NJ Learning Standards in science, mathematics, and almost all content areas. If you have questions on how to apply it to your own curriculum, please email Kate Reilly, Manager of Education at kreilly@dukefarms.org

This distance learning resource is comprised of:

• An introductory description of the resource
• A Powerpoint PDF detailing the concept, history, and examples of the Fibonacci sequence
• A sheet of extensions and multidisciplinary connections showcasing how the Fibonacci sequence has influenced language arts, art, music, and architecture
• A list of sample learning standards covered in this lesson plan

Download the lesson plan PDF here.

This resource was created by Meghan Martin and Kate Reilly.