The focus of this activity is to discover if students can use numbers to describe a pattern created with objects. We want to encourage students to record what they know about the pattern in a table and then use this information to help predict future terms and identify the rule or function for the pattern. At this stage, the rule may be described using familiar language (rather than symbolically), e.g. double and add 1 rather than 2n + 1.
Purpose
- Use materials to copy and continue a pattern
- Record a pattern using numbers and symbols
- Investigate number sequences
- Identify rules or functions for number patterns
- Use what is known about a pattern to predict missing or future terms
Curriculum Connections: NSW Syllabus Mathematics K-10
Stage 2.1 – Patterns & Algebra
- Describe, continue and create number patterns resulting from performing addition or subtraction (ACMNA060)
- Investigate the conditions required for a number to be even or odd and identify even and odd numbers(ACMNA051)
At the end of this lesson students should be able to answer the following questions
- Can you describe your pattern?
- What comes next in the pattern?
- How could we record these patterns in our books?
- Instead of using symbols, how else could we record the patterns in our books?
- If we create a table, could this help us see what is happening with the pattern?
- What is the rule or function for this pattern?
- Can we use this information to predict future terms?
For more information, please download the attached lesson plan.
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