Kaleidoscope Draw

About this simulation

This simulation turns drawing into symmetry. Students draw on a glowing bowl with a finger or mouse, and each pen movement is stored once and copied around the center, with optional mirroring of each segment. A Segments selector offers 6, 8 or 12 repeats, so the pattern repeats every 60, 45 or 30 degrees. Lines change hue as they are drawn, can fade away after a set time, and the glow size is adjustable. Dragging the background, or turning Draw mode off, rotates the view, and Clear wipes the bowl. Readouts show the symmetry, lines on screen, strokes and pen position. It teaches rotational and reflection symmetry through art.

What students can explore

Draw a single curved stroke with 6 segments and count how many copies appear.
Change Segments to 12 and draw the same stroke; compare the angle between copies.
Switch Mirror each segment off and on and describe how the pattern changes.
Turn on Fade lines and set Fade time to make a pattern that dissolves.
Turn Draw mode off and drag the background to look at your design from a new angle.

Learning objectives

1Describe rotational symmetry as a pattern that repeats around a center.
2Calculate the angle between repeats as 360 divided by the number of segments.
3Explain how mirroring adds reflection symmetry.
4Create a symmetrical design and describe its features.

Questions teachers ask

Is it free?

Yes. Kaleidoscope Draw is free, needs no sign-up and runs in any modern browser, including whiteboards, tablets and phones.

How do I draw?

Press on the glowing bowl and drag with your finger or mouse. Each stroke is repeated around the center automatically. Press Clear to start again.

How do I turn the view?

Drag the background, or untick Draw mode and drag anywhere to rotate the bowl.

How is the angle between repeats found?

Divide 360 degrees by the number of segments. Six segments repeat every 60 degrees, eight every 45 degrees and twelve every 30 degrees.

Embed this simulation

Drop it into your LMS, blog, or class site — free.

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Continue exploring

A virtual ball of clay that students sculpt by dragging. Pull, Push and Smooth tools, brush size, strength and a mirror option let them shape it, while a readout shows the clay volume.

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A tabletop scene with a lamp and a sphere, cube and cone. Students drag the lamp and the objects, change lamp height and size, and watch shadows swing, stretch and develop soft edges.

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A spinning vase on a pottery wheel with seven round handles along its profile. Students drag the handles to reshape the vase, choose a glaze and read its height, widest point and capacity.

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Four draggable control points shape a cubic Bezier curve in 3D. Students move the points, scrub or animate the parameter t, and see the construction lines that build the point on the curve.

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A small gear rolls inside a ring while a pen draws a flower pattern. Students choose the gear size, drag the pen dot to a new spot and see the number of petals and the drawing change.

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From model to evidence

Use a worksheet to capture predictions, observations, and explanations after students explore.