What ELSECan I Do with my

Pattern Blocks?Amy Smith, Ed.D

NC Department of Public Instruction

Please:1.Pick up your handouts

2.Pull out one shape out of the Mystery Bag.

Our Goals for Today

Understand the mathematics behind Pattern Blocks.

Leave with at least one new task to use back in the classroom.

Become aware of additional Pattern Block resources.

http://ncaeyc-pattern-blocks.wikispaces.com

What Do You Notice?

Look carefully at your pattern block. What do you notice?

Describe it to someone sitting next to you.

Discuss how your Pattern Block is similar to those around you. How is it different?

Talk about at least one way you have used Pattern Blocks in your classroom.

What Do We Know aboutPattern Blocks?

Consists of 6 color-coded shapes:Green triangleOrange squareTan rhombusRed trapezoidYellow hexagonBlue parallelogram (rhombus)

What Do We Know aboutPattern Blocks?

Relationships exist between the side measures and the angle measures.

They are designed so that all the sides of the shapes are 1 inch (except the longer side of the trapezoid, which is 2 inches).

Except for the tan rhombus, all of the shapes have angles whose measures are factors of 360 (120, 90, 60, 30 degrees)

Exploration StationsFind a partner.With your partner, visit each of the

different stations.Play each game & explore each activity.Record ideas, extensions and additional

explanations that you want to remember.Be prepared to share your thoughts &

ideas with the whole group. So…. Let’s get set up!

Setting Up Stations

Exploration Stations

http://www.mathplayground.com/patternblocks.html

Resources

http://ncaeyc-pattern-blocks.wikispaces.com

Contact Information

Amy Smith NCDPI K-2 Mathematics amy.scrinzi@dpi.nc.

gov 919-807-3839