Objective
By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to recognize and create number sequences that go beyond simple patterns like 2, 5, and 10. The student will learn to identify rules in sequences and create their own fun patterns using blocks and drawings.
Materials and Prep
- Blocks (any kind of building blocks)
- Drawing paper and colored pencils or crayons
- Access to YouTube for educational videos
- Numberblocks episodes (if available)
- My Singing Monsters or Omnom for inspiration
Before the lesson, ensure that the student has a comfortable workspace and access to the materials listed. It might be helpful to have a few Numberblocks episodes ready to watch for inspiration!
Activities
-
Block Sequence Building:
Using blocks, create a number sequence. Start with a simple pattern (like 1, 2, 3) and then challenge the student to add more blocks to follow a new rule (like adding 2 each time). Encourage them to explain their pattern as they build!
-
Drawing Number Patterns:
On drawing paper, ask the student to create their own number sequence using colors or shapes. For example, they could draw a sequence of stars where each star gets bigger or a different color as the numbers increase.
-
YouTube Exploration:
Watch a short educational video about number sequences and patterns. Afterward, discuss what they learned and how they might apply it to their own sequences. Ask them to share their favorite part of the video!
-
My Singing Monsters Sequence Game:
Using the characters from My Singing Monsters, create a number sequence based on the monsters. For example, if one monster sings, then two monsters sing, and then three, have the student describe the sequence and how it changes.
Talking Points
- "What happens if we start at a different number? Can we still make a pattern?"
- "Can you tell me how you decided to make your pattern with the blocks?"
- "What do you think would happen if we added more to our sequence? Let's try it!"
- "How do the Numberblocks make their sequences? Can we do something similar?"
- "What kind of patterns do you see in My Singing Monsters? Can we make our own with numbers?"
- "Why do you think patterns are important? Where do we see them in real life?"
- "What was your favorite part of the video? Did it help you understand number sequences better?"