AuSable Primary Math Resources

• Understand pattern, relation, function
• Represent Math Solutions
• Use Mathematical Models
  
• Analyze Change
  

 The primary goal of this activity is for students to practice counting by patterns.  Some (1s and 2s) are typical of what is practiced in school.  Others are less common (counting by 3 - 9).  Students click on a number that comes next.  If they are correct, the number moves to the number line at the bottom.

What mathematical content is being learned (or intended to be learned)?

 Students develop their knowledge of number patterns, which is essential to alegbraic thinking.

Is the focus on instrumental or relational understanding?

• instrumental understanding (carrying out procedures)
• relational understanding (understanding the meaning of mathematical words and symbols; connections among ideas)

This activity is helpful to students because it lets them show what they know about counting by patterns.  They can begin to think relationally somewhat if they are noticing new things about numbers during play (such as how the next number to click on is always the lowest one on the work mat), but those are not the more obvious learning, nor are they guaranteed.

What role does technology play?

 

This activity is a great change to how students practice skip counting on number charts.  They have to scan several numbers to determine which one comes next, and they earn points for correct answers.  Points are taken away for incorrect answers, which is a detterent to just click-to-find the answer.

What instructional function(s) does the resource serve?

• practice (i.e., practicing skills or knowledge already learned)
• direct instruction/explanation (i.e., explaining or presenting content to students)
• learning through exploration (i.e., provides context in which students can see new relationships; come to new understandings)

This activity provides explorations for students to practice skip counting or to learn more about how the patterns of numbers work when skip counting.

What kinds of representations of the mathematics are used?

• symbolic (i.e., numerals, symbols)
• graphical (i.e., standard graphical notation such as Cartesian (X-Y) coordinate system, bar graph, pie chart)
• visual/spatial (e.g., circles or squares with lines to show fractions)
• concrete or real-world objects (e.g., images of base-10 blocks, puppies, or jars)
• dynamic (mathematical ideas represented through motion or sound)

Students are using numbers to count with in various skip-count patterns.