The other day I introduced some of my students to the ipad app 'ShowMe' which is an interactive whiteboard. As we have been focusing on patterns in algebra, this app gave my students the chance to share how they work out the continuing sequence of a pattern.
*The copy-master pattern in the video comes from the unit plan Letter Patterns on the NZmaths website.
In the video by Tyrell and Moengaroa (group 3), they are explaining the sequence of the pattern and they come up with a rule which they can use to work out larger numbers in the sequence. As this was their first time using the App they didn't explain as thoroughly as they normally do to their group but I think they did great!
Below is some problem solving work around patterning by Tyrell, Foloi and Katrina
Our teachers create and share within our school three level word problems, as we are currently involved in the Mathematical Inquiry Communities (MIC) with Bobbi Hunter and Massey University. This problem was originally created by Matua Tuiono, Mr Lysaght and Miss Tafa here at Clendon Park School though I have altered the numbers for my students.
1 1. At the first CPS Home School Partnership evening 7 people turned up. The second year 12 people turned up. The third year 17 people turned up. How many people turned up in the eighth year? (
. 2. How many people turned up in the seventeenth year?
3. How many people turned up in the thirty second year?
*The first picture shows their workings for question 1 & 2 and the second picture shows their working for question 3. As you can see by coming up with a rule in the first question they were able to quickly find how many people would have turned up in the 17th and 32nd year. The pattern was +5 and their rule was x5 + 2. The +2 comes from the first number in the sequence which is the only number that isn't +5 (7-5 = 2) They also noticed that the numbers all ended in 2 and 7 so they could easily predict the next number.
