How Do They Grow?

Autor/in	Chan, Helen Hsu
Titel	How Do They Grow?
Quelle	In: Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 20 (2015) 9, S.548-555 (8 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1072-0839
Schlagwörter	Mathematics Instruction; Manipulative Materials; Geometric Concepts; Geometry; Elementary School Students; Middle School Students + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Mathematics lessons; Mathematikunterricht; Hilfsmittel; Elementare Geometrie; Geometrie; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin
Abstract	Students' experiences with pattern blocks begin as early as preschool. At that time, they begin to develop an understanding of repetition by alternating the colored shapes to create AB, AAB, or ABC patterns. They experiment with area and symmetry by covering polygonal spaces using the fewest (or the greatest) number of pattern blocks possible or by creating symmetrical designs. Elementary school students use these same manipulatives to learn basic fractional relationships. As they mature mathematically, students may construct pattern block "protractors" to explore angle measurement. These lesson ideas are just some of the many possibilities that can illustrate the versatility of the colorful polygons in the elementary grades. However, as students progress through the middle school years and beyond, their mathematical experiences are less likely to cross paths with pattern blocks as the popularity and functionality of these manipulatives dwindle. The activities described in this article introduce a more advanced application for pattern blocks because they require students to examine sets of geometric patterns in concert rather than in isolation. Before working on these activities, students had previously explored growing square tile patterns in Core Connections (Dietiker 2013), toothpick patterns in MathLinks (Goldstein et al. 2013), and used multiple representations to show solutions. Still, the idea that these various representations are interrelated was not evident to all learners, so one of the author's goals for the lesson described here was to help students make those connections. A bibliography is included. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01