EDMA310/360Mathematicsunitplanner

MichaelaAnderson

UnitOverview

Unittitle:
AlgebraAnimalAntics
Contentmathsarea:
Algebra
Grade/yearlevel:
Grade4Level4
LearningFocus(ideasextrapolatedfromAusVELS):
PatternsandAlgebra
Solvewordproblemsbyusingnumbersentencesinvolvingmultiplicationordivisionwherethereisnoremainder.

Rationale:
Algebraisvitalforstudentslearningdevelopmentinordertobecomemultidirectionalthinkers,problemsolversandtofurtherdevelop
theirarithmetic.Thereareinstancesofalgebraoccurringintheeverydaylife,fromshoppingforfood,organisingsportsactivitiesorgoingto
themovies.AlgebraisadditionallyimportanttolearninPrimaryschoolasstudentsneedtohaveexperiencesusingarithmeticalongside
algebraicproblemsolvinginordertoavoidpossiblemisconceptionsthattheycouldcarrywiththemwhenexploringformalalgebraina
secondaryschoolenvironment(Kamol&BanHar,2010).

Assumedpriorknowledgeofstudents:
1

Students at level 3 have explored therelationshipbetweenmultiplicationanddivision,begantodescriberelationshipsin contextand

havecreatedandanalysedrepeatingandgrowingpatterns.

Groupingstrategiestosupportlearning:
Throughoutthetasks,studentswillbegroupedinpairsoringroupsofthree,asWilkiecontendsthatthiswillallowstudentsto
becomeengagedineachotherswaysofvisualisingandgeneralisingthesameproblem(Wilkie,2014).Thisgroupingissupportedby
MacGregorandStaceywhofoundthatanimportantstepinlearningtorecogniseafunction,isbyencouragingstudentstodescribethe
featuresofthepatternverballyfirstinordertoexpressitalgebraically(MacGregor&Stacey,1995).
Duringlessonsstudentswillbegiventheopportunitytosharetheirideasinaclasssharingtime.Wilkiesuggeststhatthiscouldact
asaforumwherestudentshavetheopportunitytoexplain,demonstrateandjustifytheirdifferentrulestotheclass(Wilkie,2014).Kaput
advocatedforamultiplerepresentationalapproach,whichisachievedthroughstudentssharingtheirindividualmethodsofproblemsolving
suchasrepresentingsituationsbyusingtablesofvalues,diagrams,graphs,languageandequations(Kaput,1999).ConfreyandSmith
agreedthathavingthiskindofinteractionandanopportunitytovisualisemultiplerepresentationalformswillhelpstudentstodevelop
functionalunderstanding(Confrey&Smith1994).Overall,thesesharingtimesallowstudentstocomparetheirdifferentrulesandmethods
ofrepresentingtheirownunderstandingforthesamepattern,whichprovidesstudentswiththeopportunitytoexploretheseskills
conceptuallyandfurtherdeveloptheirconceptualunderstanding.


Overviewofassessment:
Throughout the unit a combination of informal and summative assessment will be used. Informal assessment that will be used
includes observations as well as questioning of students understanding and thinking. Summative assessment will be teachers note on
classroomdiscussionsandstudentssharingtime,aswellasusingworksamples.

WordCount:
452
3

References:

Confrey,J.,&Smith,E.(1994).
Exponentialfunctions,ratesofchange,andthe
multiplicativeunit.
EducationalStudiesinMathematics,26(2/3),135164.

Kaput,J.J.(1999).
Teachingandlearninganewalgebra.
InE.Fennema&T.Romberg(Eds.),Mathematicsclassroomsthatpromote
understanding(pp.133155).Mahwah,NJ:Erlbaum.

Kamol,N.,BanHar,Y.(2010)
Upperprimaryschoolstudentsalgebraicthinking.
L.Sparrow,B.Kissane,&C.Hurst(Eds.),Shapingthe
future
ofmathematicseducation:Proceedingsofthe33rdannualconferenceoftheMathematics
EducationResearchGroupof
Australasia.Fremantle:MERGA.

MacGregor,M.,&Stacey,K.(1995).
Theeffectofdifferentapproachestoalgebraon studentsperceptionsoffunctionalrelationships
.
MathematicsEducationResearchJournal,7(1),6985.

Wilkie,K.J.(2014)
Upperprimaryschoolteachers'mathematicalknowledgefor teachingfunctionalthinkinginalgebra,

Journalof
MathematicsTeacherEducation[P]
,vol17,issue5,Springer,TheNetherlands,pp.397428

Wilkie,K.J.(2014)
Learningtolikealgebrathroughlooking:Developingupperprimary students'functionalthinkingwithvisualisationsof
growingpatterns
.AustralianPrimaryMathematicsClassroom,Vol.19,No.4.2433.


MATHEMATICSUNITPLANNER

YearLevel:
6
Term:4Week:
13
Date:
18/10/14

Topic:
Algebra
Keymathematicalunderstandings
(24understandingsonlywrittenas
statementsbelievedtobetrueabout
themathematicalidea/topic):
Equivalenceisthebalancebetween
twoexpressions.

Patternscanbeexpressedby
generalising.

Pronumeralsrepresenttheunknown
quantities.

KeyAusVELSFocus/Standard

(takendirectlyfromAusVELSdocuments):
Contentstrand(s):
NumberandAlgebra

MeasurementandGeometry
StatisticsandProbability

Substrand(s):
PatternsandAlgebra

Leveldescriptions:

Proficiencystrand(s):
Understanding

Fluency
ProblemSolving
Reasoning

Reasoningincludesgeneralisingbyusingnumberpropertiesandtheorderofoperations.

Keyskillstodevelopandpractise
(includingstrategies,waysofworking
mathematically,languagegoals,etc.)(45
keyskillsonly):

Predicting

Experimenting/Investigating

Generalising

Relationalthinking

Functionalthinking

Keyequipment/resources:

TugofWar(Appendix1)
InputOutPutMachine(Appendix2)
Caterpillar(Appendix3)
Cassowary(Appendix4)
Thebeehiveproblem(Appendix7)
Pattenblocks
unifixcubes
texta's/pencils
A1sheetsofpaper
whiteboard
whiteboardmarkers
Keyvocabulary(bespecificandincludedefinitionsofkeywordsappropriatetousewithstudents)
function
growingpatterns
repeatingpatterns
expressionusingnumerals,symbolsandletterscalledvariablesorpronumeralsandthecombinationsofboth.Theystandfor
theunknownvalues.(deKlerk,2007).
numbersentence
generalisation
equalssignidenticalquantity(deKlerk,2007).
equivalenthavingthesamevalue(deKlerk,2007).
variableasymbolorletterrepresentinganunknownmemberofaset.Avariablestandsforavalueandcanalsobecalledan
unknown(deKlerk,2007).
coefficientThenumberinfrontofthepronumeralinanalgebraicequation(deKlerk,2007).
5

Possiblemisconceptions(listof
misconceptionsrelatedtothe
mathematicalidea/topicthatstudents
mightdevelop):

Studentsonlyseeonesolutiontothe
problem(Macgregor&Stacey,1999)

Studentsuseapronumeraltorepresent
theobjectandnotthequantity(Norton
&Irvin,2007).

Lea
rnin
g
stra
tegi
es/
skill
s

Studentscannotseethatthesymbols
representarelationshipbetweenthe
variablesandconstantsintheproblem.
(Wright,1997)
Studentsmakecomputationalerrors
whenusingarithmetic.(Norton&Irvin,
2007).
Studentsdonotunderstandthatthe
conceptofvariablesorcoefficient,an
elementofthepatternwhichcontinues
tochange.(Norton&Irvin,2007).

Constantanumberthatalwayshasthesamevalue,unlikeavariable(deKlerk,2007).
pronumeralanotherwordforthesymbolrepresentinganunknownvalueintheequation.Thepronumeralstandsfora
particularvalue(deKlerk,2007).
operationstherearefourarithmeticoperations:addition,subtraction,multiplicationanddivision(deKlerk,2007).
Keyprobingquestions(focusquestionsthatwillbeusedtodevelopunderstandingtobeusedduringthesequenceof
lessons35probingquestions):

Whatoperationdoweneedtouse?

Arebothsidesoftheequationequivalent?

Whatdoyouthinkishappeningaftereachformation?

Howdoyouknow?

Canyoudescribethepattern?

Whatischanginginthisproblem?

Whatisstayingthesameinthisproblem?

Whatisthevariableinthisproblem?

Whatpronumeralorsymbol,canweusetorepresentthisquantity?

Howcanwefindnforthe100th
object?

Studentsdonotseetheconstant,where
anelementofthepatternremainsthe
same.(Norton&Irvin,2007).
Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Cooperating
Consideringoptions
Designing
Elaborating

Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying

Listening
Locatinginformation
Makingchoices
Notetaking
Observing
Orderingevents
Organising

Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providingfeedback
Questioning

Reading
Recognisingbias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising

Seeingpatterns
Selectinginformation
Selfassessing
Sharingideas
Summarising
Synthesising

MATHEMATICAL
FOCUS

(whatyouwantthe
childrentocometo
understandasa
resultofthislesson

short,succinct
statement
)

TUNINGIN
(WHOLECLASSFOCUS)
(ashort,sharptaskrelatingto
thefocusofthelessonsetsthe
scene/contextforwhatstudents
dointheindependentaspect.
e.g.,Itmaybeaproblemposed,
spiderdiagram,anopenended
question,game,orreadinga
story)

INVESTIGATIONSSESSION REFLECTION&MAKING
(INDEPENDENTLEARNING) CONNECTIONSSESSION
(extendedopportunityfor
(WHOLECLASSFOCUS)
studentstoworkinpairs,small (focusedteacherquestions
groupsorindividually.Timefor
andsummarytodrawout
teachertoprobechildrens
themathematicsandassist
thinkingorworkwithasmall
childrentomakelinks.NB.
groupforpartofthetimeandto Thismayoccuratparticular
alsoconductroving
pointsduringalesson.Use
conferences)
ofspotlight,strategy,gallery
walk,etc.)

Session1

Students
willexplore
theequals
signand
define
equivalenc
e.

Writeontheboardtheequation:
5+3=2+6

Askstudents,Isthisequation
trueorfalse?Why?

Discussequivalentequations
andhowtheequalssign
representsabalancebetween
twosidesofequation.Usea
diagramofascaleandget
studentstorepresent5+3=2+
6usingcolouredmarkersonthe
board.

Thenwriteontheboard:
axb=cxd

Asaclassdiscusswetherornot
thiscouldbetrueandwhy.

Theninpairsstudentswillcreate
theirownequivalentnumber
sentencesusingmultiplicationor
divisionproblems.

Askstudentstosharetheir
problemsanddiscussany
misconceptionsthatareevident
fromtheirequations.

TugofWar:

Ingroupsof23,provideeach
groupwiththetugofwar
problem(appendix1).

Studentsaretoworkoutwho
willwinthetugofwarbyusing
theequivalentanimalprompts.

Theyarethenaskedtomake
thetugofwarbalancedusing
whattheyknow.

SharingTime:

Studentswillsharetheir
resultsandanswerasa
grouptotheclass.

Discuss:
Howdidyouknowthat
________won?
Howdidyoubalancethe
equation?
Howdoyouknowits
balanced?

Afterthediscussion,
studentswilldecidewhat
arethecharacteristicsofan
equivalentequationand
whatdoestheequalssign
mean.

Provideeachstudentwitha
stickynoteandaskthemto
writedowntheirown
definition.
Studentswillthensticktheir
notesontothe
correspondingA1sheet.
Theteacherwillthenshare
afewoftheirdefinitions.

ADAPTATIONS

Enablingprompt
(toallowthoseexperiencing
difficultytoengageinactive
experiencesrelatedtothe
initialgoaltask)

Extendingprompt
(questionsthatextend
studentsthinkingonthe
initialtask)

ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES

(shouldrelateto
objective.Includes
whattheteacherwill
listenfor,observe,
noteoranalysewhat
evidenceoflearning
willbecollectedand
whatcriteriawillbe
usedtoanalysethe
evidence)
Enablingprompts:
Assessment:

Studentsareencouragedto
Rovingconferences
createadiagramoftheirown
torepresentthetugofwar,
Askstudentsasthey
bychangingsomeofthe
areworkinghowthey
animalsusingtheequivalent plantomakethetug
animalprompts.
ofwarbalancedby

explainingtheir
Discuss:
thinking.
Whichsideisgreater?

Whodoyouthinkwillwinthe Takenotesofwhat
tugofwar
theysaydown.
Whichanimalwillyouneed

toaddtomakethegamea

draw?

Whydoyouneedtoaddthat
animal?

ExtendingPrompt:

Promptstudentstothink
aboutdifferentwaysof
describingtheequivalence
betweentheanimals,using
numbersorsymbols.

Askstudents,canyou
representthisproblemina


Session2

Studentswill
explorepatterns,
describethepattern
andcreatearule.

Giveeachchildastickynoteand
instructthemtowritetheirnames
onit.

Introducestudentstotheinput
outputmachine.
Askafewstudentstocomeup
andputtheirnameintothe
machine.

Inatableonthewhiteboard,
withthecolumnstitledinputand
outputstickthestickynoteinthe
inputcolumnandwriteinthe
outputproduct.

Outputproduct:thefirst3letters
ofthechildsname.
After35childrenhaveputtheir
namesintothemachineandthe
productsareontheboard,get
studentsintopairsandaskthem
topredictwhatoutputwouldbe
fortherestofthenames.Allow
studentstocontinuethetable.

Questions:
Whatpatternisthemachine
creating?
Whatmightbetheruleforthe
outputofaname?

InPutOutPutMachine

Ingroupsof34,provide
studentswiththeDrdeZineIn
PutOutputresults(See
appendix2).

Studentsaretowritedownwhat
theynoticeaboutthepatterns
createdandwhatthemachine
maybedoingtotheanimals.In
thespaceprovided,theymust
addtheirpredictionstotheblank
outcomes.

Questions:
Whatpatternisthemachine
creatingforthisday?
Whatoperationisinvolved?
Howdoyouknowyou'reright?
Howcouldyouexplainthis
patterninaruleforananimal
witnamountofstripes?

SharingTime:

Studentswillsharetheir
findingsasagrouptothe
class.

Foreachday,discussthe
patternandgetthestudents
tosharewhatruleyoumay
givetotheday.

Discussion:
Weretheresome
operationsthatworked
betterthanothers?
Howdidthemachine
transformtheanimals?
Isthereawaythatyou
couldrepresentthepattern
forananimalwithan
unknownnumberof
markings?
Howdoyouknow?

Writetherulesexactlyas
thestudentssaythemon
theboardandthenasa
class,decideonwhichrule
bestdescribesthe
transformation.

differentwayusingnumbers
orsymbols?
EnablingPrompts

Promptstudentstothink
aboutthetransformationson
thenumbersandgetthemto
thinkaboutwhatoperations
maybeinvolved.

AskstudentsWhatdoyou
noticeaboutthenumbers?
Whatishappeningtothem?
Aretheygettingbiggeror
smaller?

Promptstudentstorepresent
theproblemindifferentways
suchasthroughdrawings.

AskstudentsCanyoudraw
theanimalsandthenwhatis
happeningtothemonthis
day?

ExtendingPrompt:

Promptstudentstothink
aboutdifferentwaysof
describingthepattern.For
example,studentsmayhave
saidthatthenumberof
markingsarebeingadded3
times,whichcanalsobe
describedasthenumberof
markingsarebeingmultiplied
3times.

AskstudentsCanwe
describethispatternanother
way?Howdoyouknow?

Read34work
samples,andlookat
studentsabilityto
manipulateproblems
anidentifypatterns.
Alsolookfor
functionalthinking(If
Iputthisanimalin
with6stripes,itwill
changeto3stripes
becausethemachine
ishalvingthenumber
ofstripesofeach
animal).


Session3
Students
willexplore
anddefine
variables
and
constants.

Providetheclasswiththe3
differentformationsofa
caterpillar(seeappendix3)

Conductaclassdiscussionabout
thesimilarities/constantsand
differences/variablesbetween
eachformation.

Questions:
Whereisthecaterpillar
changing?
Whatpartsstaythesame?
Aretheyconstantineach
formation?
Whydoyouthinkitschanging?

Encouragestudentstocolourin
thepartofthecaterpillarthat
theythinkisthesameforeach
formation.

Usetheword
constant
.Students
shouldcomeupwiththeirown
definition.

Studentsdefinitionsshouldbe
similiartothis:Aconstantisthe
partthatstaysthesameoneach
formationorthatitmeansthat
thepartthatstaysthesame.

Usetheword
variable.
Students
shouldcomeupwiththeirown
definition.

Studentsshouldhaveasimiliar
definitiontothis:Avariableisthe
partsthatchangesuchasmonth,
day.

Thenintroducetheelephant
problem:

Theelephants

Ingroupsof34,present
studentswiththeelephant
problem(seeappendix4).

Studentswillberequiredto
identifythepatterninthe
problembythinkingaboutand
identifyingwhatisstayingthe
same(constant)andwhatis
changing(variable).

Encouragestudentstousethe
wordconstantandvariableto
describewhatishappeningin
thepattern.

Encouragestudentstouse
colouredtextasorpencilsto
highlighttheconstantsor
variablestosupportandjustify
theirideas.

Studentswillhavetocollaborate
anddecideonwhatfeatures
theybelieveareconstantand
whicharevariables.Theyalso
needtoexplainwhythetiles
arevariables.

Questions:
Howisthepatternworking?
Whichtilesarethesameineach
formation?
Howdoyouknowyou'reright?
Howisthepatterngrowing?
Howdoyouknow?

SharingTime:

Studentswillsharetheir
ideasasagrouptothe
class.

Discuss:
Whattilesintheelephant
wereconstant?
Howdoyouknowyou're
right?
Whattilesintheelephant
werevariables?
Whyweretheyvariables?
Canyouexplainhowthe
patternisworking?

Afterthediscussion,
studentswilldecidewhat
arethecharacteristicsofa
variableandofaconstant.

Provideeachstudentwitha
stickynoteandaskthemto
writedowntheirown
definitionforavariableand
aconstant.
Studentswillthensticktheir
notesontothe
correspondingA1sheet.
Theteacherwillthenshare
afewoftheirdefinitions.

EnablingPrompts:

Allowstudentstousepattern
blockstocreatetheproblem.
Promptthestudentstothink
aboutwhatisstayingthe
sameatineachyear,by
lookingattheheadandthe
tail.

Getstudentstousepencilsto
colourinthesetilesinone
colour.

Thenlookattheothertiles,
ensuringthatthestudents
identifytheheadandthe
trunk.Getthestudentsto
highlightthenumberoftiles
fortheneck,andanother
colourforthetrunk.

Askstudents,Whatdoyou
thinkishappeningaftereach
year?
Howdoyouknow
Canyoudescribethe
pattern?

ExtendingPrompts:

Promptstudentstocomeup
withageneralruleto
describehowthepatternis
growing,ensuringthatthey
areabletojustifytheirrule
usingtheirresults.

Askthestudents,Howcan
wedescribethisproblem?
Whatshouldweuseto
representthenumberof
tiles?

Assessment:

Readarange,45,
ofstudentsdefinitions
aboutvariablesand
constantsandassess
theirunderstandingof
theseconcepts.


Session4

Students
willidentify
the
relationship
between
attributes
and
represent
the
relationship
.

Howmanytileswillbeneeded
fora20yearoldelephant?
Askstudentstousetheelephant
tasksheetusedintheprevious
lesson.Discusstheattributesof
theelephanttaskandhowthey
wererelated.

Questions:
Whywastheelephantgetting
bigger?
Howdoyouknow?

Explainthewordattributeand
discussasaclass,howthe
attributeseffecttheproblem.
Writetheirideasupontheboard.

Explainthatattributesare
representedbypronumerals,
whicharesymbolstoindicatethe
quantityofsomething,orthe
unknownamount.

Introduceandexplainthe
cassowarytask:

Howbigwillthecassowarybein
8years?

Thecassowary:

Ingroupsof23,providethe
cassowaryproblem
to the class
(Appendix 5).
Students will be required to use
what they know to represent the
problem in some way, by using
unifix cubes to help them create
the problem. They can
represent their results in a table,
diagram or in a chart, using
shapes. They will use the space
available to solve the problem
as a group and then will use an
A1 sheet of paper to present
their ideas in sharing time.
Questions:
What do you notice about the
numbers?
How big will the cassowary be
be after 5 years?
How could this problem be
represented?
Howisthepatterngrowing?
How do you know?

10

Sharingtime:

Studentswillsharetheir
ideasandrepresentationas
agrouptotheclass.They
willalsopredicthowbigthe
cassowarywillbein8
years,ensuringthat
studentsusethepro
numeraln,whichisthe
numberoftiles.

Discuss:
Howdidthenumberof
yearseffectthenumberof
tile?
Howdoyouknow?
Howbigwillthecassowary
bein8years?
Howdoyouknow?
Howdothedifferent
representationsofthe
problemhelpussolvethe
problem?

Studentswillthenputtheir
representationsinthe
displayforalgebra.

EnablingPrompts:

Providestudentswithunifix
cubesandgetthemtocreate
thepatterns.
Encouragethemtousea
tabletowriteintheirresults.

Promptthestudentstothink
abouthowthepatternis
growing.Askthestudents:
Howcanweshowour
resultssowecanseehow
manytilesareneededfor
eachyear?

Askstudents:
Whatistheconstantinthe
problem?
Howmanytilesaretherein
year1comparedtoyear2?
Howisthenumberofyears
effectingthenumberoftiles
needed?

ExtendingPrompts:

Promptstudentstocomeup
withageneralruletowork
outhowmanytileswillbe
neededfor15years.Ensure
thatcanjustifytheirruleby
applyingittotheotheryears.

Askthestudents,Howdo
thenumberofyearseffect
thenumberoftiles?
Howcansolvetheproblemif
wehadnnumberofyears?

Roving
Conferences

Askstudentsifthey
canpredicthow
manytileswillbe
neededforthe
cassowaryin8ears.

Howisthenumber
oftileseffectedby
theyears?Whycould
thisbehappening?

Session5

Studentswill
explorepatterns
andcreatearuleto
representthe
pattern.

Discussstudentsdiscoveries
fromthepreviouslessonand
writedownanydifficultiesthat
theymayhavehad,orthe
similaritiesthattheymayhave
noticedinthecassowary
problemandtherabbitproblem.

Brainstormtheideasandwhat
studentsneedtoremember
whenlookingatpatterns.Prompt
thechildrentothinkaboutthe
useofpronumeralstorepresent
quantities,theoperations
involved,equivalenceonboth
sidesoftheequationandany
misconceptionsthattheyhave
realised.

Questions:
Howshouldweusepronumerals
torepresentunknown
quantities?
Aretheresomeoperationsthat
arebetterthanotherstousefor
problems?
whenwecreatearule,howcan
wechecktoseeifweare
correct?

Thenposethemthebeehive
problemandexplainthattheywill
havetocomeupwitharuleto
representtheproblembyusing
cforthenumberofchambers
andyforthenumberofyears.
(Appendix5)

Howbigwillthebeehivebein10
years?

TheBeeHive

Ingroupsof34,providethebee
hiveproblem
to the class
(Appendix 5).
Explain that the students will be
using the pro numeral n for this
task to represent the number of
chambers.
Students will be required to use
what they know to represent the
problem in some way: in a
table, diagram or in a chart.
They will use the space
available to solve the problem
as a group and then will use an
A1 sheet of paper to present
their ideas in sharing time.
Questions:
What operation is this problem
using?
What do you notice about the
number of chambers?
How many chambers will there
be in year 4?
Howisthepatterngrowing?
How do you know?
Whatistheconstantinthe
problem?
Whatisthedifferencebetween
thefirstpatternandthesecond
pattern?Whatisthedifference
betweenthesecondandthird
pattern?
The rule for this pattern is:
c= 5y + 1

11

Sharingtime:

Studentswillsharetheir
ideasandrepresentationas
agrouptotheclass.They
willexplaintheirrule,and
justifyitbyusingevidence
oftheirproblemsolving.

Theclasswilldiscuss
whetherornottherule
worksandhowitcouldbe
changedtoensurethatit
works.

Discuss:
Howdidthenumberof
yearseffectthenumberof
chambers?
Howdoyouknow?
Howmanychamberswill
therebeat10years?
Howdoyouknow?
Whatisthemostefficient
operationtouseforthis
problem?
Areweabletouseother
operationstosolvethis
problem?

Studentswillthenaddany
ideasthattheyneedto
rememberwhenlookingat
andsolvingpatternsinthe
brainstorm.

Enablingprompts:

Allowstudentstousethe
patternblockstocreatethe
problem.

Askthem,Howmuchmore
isaddedontothenext
pattern?
Whichpartofthepattern
alwaysstaysthesame?
Howcouldwewritethis
usingnumbersand
pronumerals?

Extendingprompts:

Promptstudentstocreatean
alternativeexpression,
equationorgeneralisationof
theproblem.

Askthem,Howcouldyou
representthisproblemin
anotherway?
Whatotheroperationcould
youuse?
Whatothernumberscould
youuse?

Roving
Conferences

Askstudentsifthey
canpredicthow
manychambersthere
willbein10years

Howmany
chambersareadded
oneachyear?Why
couldthisbe
happening?

Howcouldthey
representthepattern
asanexpression?


References:

th
deKlerk,J(2007)Illustratedmathsdictionary,4
edition.Pearson,Australia.

Gravett,E.(2010)Therabbitproblem.PublishedbyMacmillan.

Macgregor,M.,Stacey,K.(1999)
AFlyingStarttoAlgebra.
TeachingChildrenMathematics,Vol.6,No.2.PublishedbyNationalCouncilofTeachers
ofMathematics.

Norton,S.,Irvin,J.(2007)AConcreteApproachtoTeachingSymbolicAlgebra.InJ.296&K.Beswick(Eds.),Proceedingsofthe30thAnnual
ConferenceoftheMathematicsEducationResearchGroupofAustralasia:Vol.2.Mathematics:EssentialResearch,EssentialPractice,551560

Wright,V.(1997).
Assessingmathematicalprocessesinalgebra.
UnpublishedResearchdissertation.UniversityofWaikato.

12


Appendices:

Appendix1
Tugofwar.

TheTugofWar:

4horsesareasstrongas5pigs

1cowisasstrongas1horseand2pigs

Whowillwinthetugofwar?

Howcanwemakeitbalanced?

Source:

Abels,Mieke(2013)
MakingSenseofAlgebrawithRealisticMathematicsEducation
.FreudenthalInstituteUtrechtUniversity,
Netherlands.
Retrievedfrom
http://mathed.net/files/20130418_NCTM_Making_Sense_of_Algebra_with_RME.pdf
13

Appendix2
DrdeZinesinputoutputmachine.

THEINPUTOUTPUTMACHINE:

DrdeZinehasinventedaninputoutputmachinewhichadds,subtracts,multipliesanddividesthemarkingson
animals.Eachdayhekeptarecordofwhathappenedtotheanimals.Yourjobistofillintheblanksandtodescribe
whatmaybehappeningtotheseanimalswhentheygothroughthismachine.

Day

Input

Output

Whatishappening?

MONDAY

Numbatwith3stripes
Leopardwith12spots
Zebrawith5stripes

Numbatnowhas12stripes
Leopardnowhas48spots
Zebranowhas20stripes

TUESDAY

Dogwith5spots
Catwith2stripes
Rabbitwith___marks

Dognowhas15spots
Catnowhas12stripes
Rabbitnowhas13marks

Horsenowhas2marks
Pignowhas4dots
Cownowhas____patches

Elephantnowhas16stars
Rhinonowhas8diamonds
Hipponowhas____spots

Frognowhas11spots
Toadnowhas9spots
Geckonowhas15stripes

WEDNESDAY Horsewith4marks
Pigwith8dots
Cowwith10patches
THURSDAY Elephantwith32stars
Rhinowith24diamonds
Hippowith41spots
FRIDAY

Frogwith4spots
Toadwith3spots
Geckowith____stripes

AdaptedfromTable15.3(Reysetal.,2013,pp.357)

Source:
Reys,R.E.,Lindquist,M.M.,Lambdin,D.V.,Smith,N.L.,Rogers,A.,Falle,J.,Frid,S.,&Bennett,S.(2013).
Helpingchildrenlearn
st
mathematics
(1
Australianed.).Milton,Qld.:JohnWiley&Sons.
14

Appendix3
Formationofacaterpillar.

Day1

Day2

Day3

Day4

15

Appendix4ElephantsFaces

TheElephants:

Howmanytileswillbeneededfora20yearoldelephant?

Year1

Year2

16

Year3

Appendix5
Cassowaryproblem.

TheCassowary:

ThecassowaryisfromNorthernAustraliaandtheyareoneofthelargestbirdsintheworld.Thecassowaryhasalargebumponit'shead
andisblueandblack.

Howbigwillthecassowarybein8years?

Year1
Year2
Year3

Source:
Brown,J(2015)Wholeclasstaskweek7,semester1:Generalising:Thecassowarytask.Retrievedfrom
http://leo.acu.edu.au/mod/folder/view.php?id=917793
17

Appendix 6-
Bee hive.

The Bee Hive

In a bee hive there is a Queen bee and worker bees. The queen is responsible for making new worker
bees and the worker bees have to make more chambers to add to the bee hive for all of them to fit in.
Each year, the bee hive grows bigger and bigger.
How big will the bee hive be in 10 years?

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

18