Pattern Generator

What is Pattern Generator?

This activity allows the user to learn to recognize several types of patterns through filling in the missing pieces. The patterns in this activity are made of:

  • shapes
  • letters
  • numbers

Patterns are found in everyday life, from nature to architecture. This activity introduces patterns, a concept which can be further explored in activities such as Coloring Multiples in Pascal's Triangle and Sierpinski's Carpet.

How Do I Use This Activity?

This activity provides exploration of patterns using pictures, shapes, letters, and numbers.

Controls and Output

  • A randomly selected pattern with no predetermined difficulty level will appear for the user to solve. The user can either solve this pattern or select a difficulty level from the drop down menu at the bottom right.
  • In order to solve a pattern, the user must move the shapes from the right side of the board into their appropriate places in the pattern, shown on the left.
  • To move the shapes, the user must "click and drag", which means to move the mouse pointer over the piece, click the mouse button and keep holding down while you move the mouse pointer to the spot on the board where you want to place it. When it is in position, release the mouse.
  • If the correct piece is placed, it will remain on the board. If an incorrect choice is made, the piece will not show on the board. When this happens, select another piece to place on the board, and take a second look to try to figure out the pattern.
  • If you want to remove the pieces you placed and start over, click the reset board button.
  • When you are finished with one pattern, click the next pattern button and a new one will appear on the board.

Description

This activity provides exploration of patterns using shapes, letters and numbers. This activity would work well in groups of 1 or 2 for about 15-20 minutes if you use the exploration questions and 10-15 minutes otherwise.

Place in Mathematics Curriculum

This activity can be used to:

  • introduce the concept of patterns, further developed in the Coloring Multiples Pascal's Triangle
  • lead any classroom discussion of what patterns are and how to figure them out.
  • develop critical thinking skills and logical reasoning ability.

Standards Addressed

Grade 4

  • Functions and Relationships

    • The student demonstrates conceptual understanding of functions, patterns, or sequences.
    • The student demonstrates algebraic thinking.

Grade 5

  • Functions and Relationships

    • The student demonstrates conceptual understanding of functions, patterns, or sequences.
    • The student demonstrates algebraic thinking.

Grade 6

  • Functions and Relationships

    • The student demonstrates conceptual understanding of functions, patterns, or sequences.

Grade 7

  • Functions and Relationships

    • The student demonstrates conceptual understanding of functions, patterns, or sequences including those represented in real-world situations.

Grade 8

  • Functions and Relationships

    • The student demonstrates conceptual understanding of functions, patterns, or sequences including those represented in real-world situations.

Fourth Grade

  • Operations and Algebraic Thinking

    • Generate and analyze patterns.

Fifth Grade

  • Operations and Algebraic Thinking

    • Analyze patterns and relationships.

Grades 3-5

  • Algebra

    • Analyze change in various contexts
    • Understand patterns, relations, and functions
    • Use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships

Grade 3

  • Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner will recognize, determine, and represent patterns and simple mathematical relationships.
    • COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner will recognize, determine, and epresent patterns and simple mathematical relationships.

Grade 4

  • Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of mathematical relationships.

Grade 5

  • Number and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Data Analysis and Probability, Algebra

    • COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of patterns, relationships, and elementary algebraic representation.

Technical Mathematics I

  • Number and Operations

    • Competency Goal 1: The learner will apply various strategies to solve problems.

5th Grade

  • Algebra

    • The student will demonstrate through the mathematical processes an understanding of the use of patterns, relations, functions, models, structures, and algebraic symbols to represent quantitative relationships and will analyze change in various contexts.

4th Grade

  • Algebra

    • Standard 4-3: The student will demonstrate through the mathematical processes an understanding of numeric and nonnumeric patterns, the representation of simple mathematical relationships, and the application of procedures to find the value of an unknown.

Geometry

  • Geometry

    • Standard G-2: The student will demonstrate through the mathematical processes an understanding of the properties of basic geometric figures and the relationships between and among them.

5th Grade

  • Algebra

    • The student will understand and generalize patterns as they represent and analyze quantitative relationships and change in a variety of contexts and problems using graphs, tables, and equations.

3rd Grade

  • Algebra

    • Content Standard 2.0 The student will understand and generalize patterns as they represent and analyze quantitative relationships and change in a variety of contexts and problems using graphs, tables, and equations.

4th Grade

  • Algebra

    • The student will understand and generalize patterns as they represent and analyze quantitative relationships and change in a variety of contexts and problems using graphs, tables, and equations.

Grade 3

  • Patterns, Relationships, and Algebraic Thinking

    • 6. The student uses patterns to solve problems.

7th Grade

  • Patterns, Functions, and Algebra

    • 7.19 The student will represent, analyze, and generalize a variety of patterns, including arithmetic sequences and geometric sequences, with tables, graphs, rules, and words in order to investigate and describe functional relationships.

4th Grade

  • Patterns, Functions, and Algebra

    • 4.21
    • 4.21 The student will recognize, create, and extend numerical and geometric patterns, using concrete materials, number lines, symbols, tables, and words.

5th Grade

  • Patterns, Functions, and Algebra

    • 5.20 The student will analyze the structure of numerical and geometric patterns (how they change or grow) and express the relationship, using words, tables, graphs, or a mathematical sentence. Concrete materials and calculators will be used.

Textbooks Aligned

Book 1

  • Module 1 - Tools for Success

    • Section 1: Patterns, Sequences

Be Prepared to

  • explain different critical thinking approaches to figuring out the patterns, such as counting the