Too Many Thanks
Read the book
Where's the Math?
Patterns and relationships are often identified as the essence of Mathematics. This book involves patterning. In particular, the mathematical topic explored is recursion, which is a mathematical expression where each term is created by repeating an action. Applications of recursion can be found in many areas. For example, in Computer Sciences, some programming languages rely heavily on recursion, allowing a procedure to be defined in terms of itself.
Patterning skills can be developed. Children should be able to observe, copy, extend, and create patterns. After observing patterns and relationships, kids should be able to make predictions and generalizations, and apply these to new situations. At the end of this book, you will find some suggested activities designed to advance patterning skills.
Suggested activities
Here are some activities to develop your child's patterning skills:
Make a sound pattern. You can clap, knock on wood, use a pan and spoon, or use any rhythm instrument to create this pattern. Ask your children to repeat your pattern. Ask your children to create a pattern for you to repeat. Take turns making and repeating sound patterns. Start simple and get progressively more complicated. Invent symbols and record your pattern to revisit later. For example, use sqq for slow quick quick.
Play follow the leader with your children. Create a simple dance step. Invent symbols to record your dance steps to revisit later.
String colored cereals or beads in patterns.
Use inked stamps to create wrapping paper or borders for cards.
Draw a picture of a recursion. For example, you might draw a rectangle divided into four pieces with one piece divided into four pieces, and so on.
- Look for patterns all around you. Look at wallpaper, cards, bricks, and other items around your household. Investigate patterns in nature. How are petals and leaves arranged for different varieties of plants? How are the spots on a ladybug arranged? How are the stripes on zebras arranged?
- Read Jack's Story in The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith.