1 Creating, Describing, and Analyzing Patterns 1: Two-Square Repeating Patterns Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades K–2 Professional Commentary: Fostering the ability to create and analyze simple patterns and make predictions about them is a major learning goal in the primary grades. Using the interactive computer applet, students create and study different pattern units.... 2 Creating, Describing, and Analyzing Patterns 2: Multiple-Square Repeating Patterns Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades K–2 Professional Commentary: 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.... 3 The Yo-Yo Problem: Solving Linear Equations Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades 8–10 Professional Commentary: Students explore linear patterns, write a pattern in symbolic form, and solve linear equations using algebra tiles, symbolic manipulation, and the graphing calculator. The lesson starts with the presentation of the yo-yo problem.... 4 Rectangle Pattern Challenges Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades 5–9 Professional Commentary: Students analyze three stages of a colorful rectangular pattern, and then determine the composition of future stages. Younger students can describe in words how the pattern grows, while older students can find algebraic expressions for the number of blocks of each color in the pattern.... 5 The Devil and Daniel Webster Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades 9–12 Professional Commentary: Students investigate a salary-minus-commission problem defined recursively that has a surprising solution. This activity is ideally done on a spreadsheet but can also be explored on a calculator or by hand.... 6 Visualizing An Infinite Series Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades 9–12 Professional Commentary: This site uses geometric models to show the convergence of infinite series like 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + ... + 1/2n + ...... Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades 9–12 Professional Commentary: This four-lesson unit uses iteration and recursion to model and analyze a changing fish population. Graphs, equations, tables, spreadsheets, and calculators are used to investigate the effect of varying parameters on the long-term population of fish in a trout pond.... Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades 5–7 Professional Commentary: In this lesson, students explore the Fibonacci series. They identify the pattern among the Fibonacci numbers, look for applications of these numbers, and explore the ways that this pattern can be related to objects and shapes in both the natural and designed world.... Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades 5–6 Professional Commentary: Students use x to represent an unspecified amount of money in a wallet and then write an equation to relate the amounts of money that two students have. They write equivalent equations based on actions in a continuing story problem.... 10 Growing, Growing, Graphing! Resource Type: Lessons Discipline: Mathematics Grades: Grades 9–12 Professional Commentary: In this lesson, students focus on China's population growth. They graph data on graph paper using a graphing calculator or spreadsheet software.... |