Week 13

This week we started to go over patterns, we discussed how we find patterns and then make a rule to extend the pattern. The first time we introduced the students to the task we presented a problem that was similar to the following:

You were hired by Jewel-Osco to make a can display. Jewel would like the display to be 10 rows high. How many cans does Jewel need in all to make the display?

The students were instructed with their partners to create a table that included information that would be helpful to answering Jewel's questions as well as write a pattern and a rule to go along with it. We provided enough cups for the students to be able to make a display with 6 rows but then would have to use the pattern to complete their table and answer Jewel's question about 10 rows.  The students had a very difficult time with this assignment. The students could not handle making their chart on their own so we brought them back as whole class and wrote the chart together then let them continue to work. Not one group was able to look for a pattern and write a rule, it did not even occur to any of the students that there could be a pattern present that they could write a rule for. By the end of the lesson all of the students were frustrated and could not figure out the problem.

Instead of giving up we re-edited the worksheet and set the problem up the same way except added to Jewel's question by asking is there a pattern to the can display. We also explictiy modeled more what we wanted them to do and how you could use the cups to make one of the pyramids and then count the cups and record the numbers you got. This all seemed to click with the kids, following the modeling the students worked together again and there was not one group who did not understand what we were trying to find out or how to find it out. I was very impressed that not only the students took the task seriously and were ready to try it again, but they took their time made each model and recorded all the data.

To me, that was one of the best parts each student had everything labeled for them to see on their paper and made it clear just exactly what they did to find the pattern so they could communicate that to the other classmates when they were called on.