Patterns are a way for students to recognize order and are important in all aspects of mathematics. Creating pattern units with the interactive applet can be beneficial for students who are not yet successful in creating their own patterns with physical manipulatives.

Patterns are a way for students to recognize order and are important in all aspects of mathematics. Creating pattern units with the interactive applet can be beneficial for students who are not yet successful in creating their own patterns with physical manipulatives. Using the interactive computer applet, students will create and study pattern units of three, four, and five squares. The "Making and Repeating Grid Patterns" activity sheet encourages students to investigate row, column, and diagonal patterns generated when units of three, four, and five squares are repeated. Throughout the activity, students predict, explore, and analyze similarities and differences between the repeating pattern units. Students also explore factors of ten. (author/sw)