Big Ideas in Patterns K–3

This workshop explores the five big ideas in Patterns K-3: Patterns are Everywhere, Mathematical, Patterns are Regular, Repeating Patterns, Growing Patterns, Patterns in Shapes.

The big ideas of patterns thread through the various sub-strands of the curriculum. They embrace a large proportion of the separate content descriptors for each year level. So each big idea helps in thinking about many topics in the curriculum. Focusing on the big ideas can also help integrate the different strands. In particular, patterns can link many ideas in Number and Geometry.

In this K-3 hands-on workshop teachers will explore the following questions:

• In what ways can we build learners knowledge and experiences that lead them to recognize that patterns are everywhere?
• Mathematical patterns are regular. In what ways can we describe regularity?
• Repeating and growing patterns are different. How can we move learners from additive thinking to multiplicative thinking?
• How can we move learners from recognizing shape with regular boundaries to classifying shapes according to geometric properties?

Participants in this course will work with MANSW’s K–8 Professional Learning Consultant who will facilitate discussion, link research to practical classroom activities and engage participants in activities that can be used in the classroom.