Welcome to Patterning! 

In this unit the students will be exploring the world of patterning in math,

nature, engineering, writing, and art. 

​

Week 1

      Welcome to the fun world of patterns.  This week we experimented with patterns in a variety of ways.  We discussed patterns in the world around us, from the letters and numbers.  We also played two versions of snakes and dots.  This pen and paper game is a fun and easy one for the kids to play wherever they are.     

    

      After we challenged each other to avoid the snakes we began working on our Poetry books.  We began our books with an acrostic poem.  The students will create a poem using the letters of their first names.  The students will be finishing their poems next week. 

​

Week 2

      This week we focused on our  acrostic poems!  We had a lot of fun writing sentences using the first letter of our names.  After brainstorming the students will work on their final copies. 

​

Week 3

   To start off the day the students were given time to finish up their acrostic poems.  Then we moved on to an engineering challenge.  Working together they will attempt to build the tallest free standing skyscraper out of marshmallows and toothpicks. This week they began by working their way through the ABDCE's of the Engineering Design Process:

A- Ask Questions

B- Brainstorm different designs

D- Design

C-Create

E- Evaluate and rEdesign

We looked at each stage and then the kids got to work, rapidly realizing that the design processes not a linear process.  They frequently jumped back to another stage throughout the process

​

Week 4

   So excited, this week, to see the skyscraper designs come to life.  It is always so fun to watch them work on each stage of the design process, often without realizing they are doing it.  have you ever heard "That didn't work" at home and watched them go back and rEdesign?  Or all of those MANY questions children ask?  This is creativity at work!!