ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Needs Assessment/Rational

The Metropolitan Reading Readiness Test, a standardized, norm referenced readiness test which is administered to our kindergarten students, has a quantitative skills section which measures pre-math skills. Last Spring when I administered the test, our lowest area on the test composite was the quantitative skills area. When I reviewed individual student data, it showed that many of the questions most often missed by the students in this area, dealt with patterning. Standard 5 from the North Dakota State Math Standards, and more specifically, Benchmark K.5.2 “Recognize, extend, and describe simple patterns”, is the correlating benchmark, and the basis for my unit of instruction. Through this unit, I hope to engage the students in the patterning process, and specifically, to help them extend and describe patterns with more confidence.

Understandings & Goals

Enduring Understanding: I want my students to “understand” the concept of patterns. I want my students to grasp the idea that a pattern is a group that is identically repeated. If the students can not just learn, but understand the definition and concept of patterns, then they will be able to apply them to the world around them. For instance, they may see the repeating pattern of the days of the week, the months of the year, the seasons, etc. I want them to not only know, but to understand patterning. Not only to see patterns on paper, but to see patterns in real-life application. Goal(s): Students will understand patterns. Students will be able to communicate patterns to others.

Questions Answered

Essential questions: When does a row of objects become a pattern? Can a pattern be something you can’t see? Do you have to have objects to form a pattern? We know a pattern has a beginning, but does it also have an end? How many objects does it take to make a pattern? Objectives: Students will be able to model, describe and extend patterns in the ABABAB form. Students will be able to model, describe and extend patterns in the ABCABCABC form. Students will be able to find and interpret patterns that grow by one element, rather than repeat. Students will be able to place objects in different positions to model, describe, and extend patterns that repeat. Students will be able to see positions of objects as well as the ways that pattern elements repeat. Students will be able to recognize patterns with the same structure. Students will be able to identify and extend repeating patterns. Students will understand patterns and carry over the application of patterns to everyday life.

Assessment

What quiz and test items (e.g. simple content-focused questions that require a single, best answer) will provide evidence of understanding? In the instance of patterning, and with the age group that I work with, paper/pencil activites can provide only a fraction of the student understanding that can be developed with hands on activities. Manipulatives, objects in hand, seem to bring the patterns to life for most students. For this reason, testing will be more in the form of interview activities. Teacher/student interaction is essential in this process. Students will be encouraged to show their capabilities in describing and extending a pattern with manipulatives and will be allowed the opportunity to explain their choices. Reasoning skills and verbal communication skills are also enhanced, an added plus in addition to the main intent of the activity. What academic prompts (e.g. open-ended questions or problems that require students to think critically and then to prepare a response / product / performance) will provide evidence of understanding? Questions will encourage students to give their own assessment and reasoning for their choices. It will allow me to see their ability to vocalize their own thought process. Questions may include choices such as “In this pattern why does this object have to be—-?”, or “If I cover up an object in the pattern you have made, how will you be able to tell me what object I have covered up?”, or “If we want to add one more object to where you have left off with your pattern, what should it be and why?”. These types of questions will hopefully empower the student to vocalize either their own understanding or lack of understanding of the subject area. Either way, it offers me the opportunity to see the thought process behind their actions. Something traditional paper assessment wouldn’t allow me with this age group. What performance tasks and projects (e.g. complex challenges that are authentic, mirror the real world and require a performance or product) will you include that will provide evidence of student understanding? I will look more for opportunities for students to relate the patterning process to their daily life in addition to the traditional “What color, size, shape, or position comes next.” Even the daily and weekly schedules of school can show a pattern. I think that this will enhance student understanding of the patterning process. What other evidence (e.g. observations, work samples, dialogues, student self-assessment) of understanding will you collect? When I searched online, I found sites that give students the opportunity to interact in ways that you cannot on paper. This will definitely be something to investigate further. Also, I may consider student/student interaction. The idea being that they would reason with and gain insight from each other about their choices.

Instructional Strategies

After completing assign. 3, and reviewing the content of assign. 4, I can see that my choice of interviewing activities, essential questions, performance tasks and other forms of evidence, all fall into the categories of inquiry- and problem-based learning strategies. The interview activites for example, will allow me to guide the students to rationalize their own thought process. This is the foundation of inquiry-based learning. I can analyze and guide their understanding based on where they are at. The idea of student/student interaction, when coupled with teacher monitering to make sure everyone is staying on task, can really promote the feeling of empowering the students. Giving students the responsibility for their own learning can sometimes help them to “rise to the occasion” in a manner of speaking! All things that are cornerstones of problem-based learning strategies.