Number Patterns Deserve Our Attention

Number patterns is often a topic that doesn't get much attention in the 3rd grade. We briefly go over numbers in a series and ask our students to complete the pattern.

Often times we ask them to state the rule to which many respond "counting by 2's or by 5's". However, have you ever asked one of your minions what "counting by 2's" mean or if they could explain it to you? I have and I'm embarrassed to say that most of the time I simply get the answer, "you know 2, 4, 6, 8... counting by 2's". This tells me that they don't truly understand what that means.

Patterns are more than just being able to identify which number comes next. They are found EVERYWHERE in math... Patterns are in place value, rounding, multiplication, division, fractions, and even geometry. So rightfully so they deserve our attention!

So how do we train our students to be on the constant lookout for patterns? I suggest that you start easy and early on in the year. As a matter of fact, I like to start off with my Patterns Theme Booklet and Task Cards.

This year I chose to begin my unit on patterns by having my students complete a challenging group Pattern Puzzle activity which you can grab here.

This activity was by no means easy, however, once the students began to see that this puzzle was ALL about the patterns, they began searching and finding them. Then it was just a matter of placing each puzzle piece in the right location.

I actually loved that this activity was challenging and made my 3rd graders think. They were able to experience firsthand how hard work and perseverance can lead to SUCCESS! It also gave them an opportunity to work as part of a team, practice problem solving skills, and learn what to do when their initial plan of action doesn't work.

Later on in the week we spent some time exploring and discussing the many patterns they found on their hundreds chart. (My kids absolutely loved using Expo markers to circle patterns on their chart.)

We also discovered that numbers alternate odd, even, odd, even. This led students to discover that all even numbers end in 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0.

Next, I challenged them by asking them "What happens when you add two even numbers?" I pushed them to explain their thinking by using their hundreds chart.

 After some trial and error, more patterns started arising and students started to see that an even number plus another even number equals and EVEN NUMBER. They thought this was really cool!

 What about an odd number plus another odd number? They set out to prove their thinking with their hundreds chart and table mates.

 Then a student wondered what would happen if you added an odd and an even number.  "Great question!" I answered "Why don't we find out?" And with that they were off to find out the answer.

 In the end, not only had we learned about number patterns with regards to odd and even numbers, but students had also learned the importance of testing out their thinking.

Then I really pushed them to think when I asked them to work as a group to answer the following question...

This one did take us a bit to get, but I loved watching their thought processes at work.

Thanks to our explorations with a 100's chart, a few of the things my students learned were:

• that columns go up and down and rows from side to side
• that traveling down a column means that you add 10 and that's why your ones digit stays the same and your tens digit increases by one
• that when you go across a row you add 1 and that's why your tens digit stays the same and your ones digit increases by one.
• when numbers increase (or become larger) you are adding to them
• when numbers decrease (or become smaller) you are subtracting from them
• that numbers alternate between even and odd
• that even + even = even
• that odd + odd = even
• that even + odd = odd

Next, up.... rounding!