Exploring patterns you can feel and hear

The following lesson will enable students to develop tactile and auditory patterns. As students observe, analyze, and make predictions about patterns they will enhance their problem-solving and reasoning skills.

A lesson plan for grades 3–4 Mathematics

By Carlene M. White

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Related topics

• Learn more about hands-on, kinesthetic learners, mathematics, and patterns.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• create and extend a tapping pattern.
• create a tactile pattern using a variety of textured materials.
• create auditory patterns.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 hour

Materials/resources

Per Student pair

• 1 strip posterboard or tagboard
• glue
• scissors

Per class

• sheets of sandpaper
• roll of waxpaper
• cotton balls
• construction paper

Technology resources

Optional: Computer software - “Pattern Blocks”

Pre-activities

List the five senses (see, hear, taste, touch, smell) on the chalkboard. Ask students which sense(s) they use most when observing patterns. Have students point out patterns in the classroom.

Activities

1. Explain that patterns can also be felt; then play “pass the pattern,” a telephone-like game involving touch.
• Sit in a circle with students and have them close their eyes.
• Tap a simple pattern, like AAB, AAB on the back of the student to your right, then tell her/him to pass the same pattern by tapping it gently on the next person.
• Have students continue passing the pattern around the circle, until it returns to you.
• Demonstrate the “feeling” pattern you received and the tapping one you started.
• Let students compare the two. If the pattern changed along the way, ask students to suggest what might have happened.
2. Divide the class into pairs and give each a blank strip, glue, and scissors. Then challenge each pair to use cotton balls, sandpaper, waxed paper, and construction paper to create a pattern that can be felt.
3. Have each pair exchange its pattern-strip with another pair, who will (a) extend the pattern, (b) use letters to identify the pattern.
4. Demonstrate an auditory pattern by clapping your hands and having students repeat the pattern. Ask students to name clapping games they know that use patterns. Then sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” with the class. Ask students to use letters to identify the rhyming/clapping pattern in that song.
5. Challenge student-pairs to create their own auditory patterns by clapping, dancing, rhyming, marching, etc. Let each pair present its auditory pattern to the class, the have the class repeat it. You may wish each pair to do the pattern twice, once with listeners’ eyes open.

Assessment

• View the finished tactile pattern products
• Observe and evaluate pair presentations

Supplemental information

Family Connection

1. Take a family walk. Along the way, collect leaves, rocks, twigs, acorns, or pine cones. Then make a pattern with items from nature.
2. Check the newspaper daily to find out which phase of the moon is present. Then answer the following questions: How long does phase last?; How long does it take from full moon to next full moon?

Dale, Seymour, “Color Tiles”
Menlo Park: Addison-Wesley, 1984.

Books:

• Aker, Suzanne, What Comes in 2’s, 3’s and 4’s NY: Simon and Schuster, 1990.
• Back, Christine; and Watts, Barrie, Tadpole and Frog NY: Silver Burdett, 1986.

Comments

This lesson can easily be adapted to grades 1 and 2. There are other pattern plans available that can be used as follow-up. These ideas were adapted from information provided by the National Science Foundation.