Math Patterns
A Unit Plan for 4th Grade Inspiration Students
Goals for the unit:
- To appreciate and investigate specific numerical patterns
- To look at the specific numerical pattern in nature and art
Timeline: We will work on this unit for about 8 Inspiration classes.
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1st Class: Discuss what a pattern is and how it can be helpful; Discovery of the specific
numerical pattern; add more numbers to the pattern and explain the rule; background
given about the specific numerical pattern known as The Fibonacci Sequence; look at
the specific numerical pattern in examples of nature; Complete 2 worksheets about The
Fibonacci Sequence to learn the pattern and discuss examples of the numbers found in
nature
2nd Class: Review the Fibonacci numbers in sequence; Use the numbers to create a
special rectangle (known as The Golden Rectangle)
3rd Class: Make a pentagon star – see how it relates to the Golden Rectangle
4th Class: Introduce another pattern; add more numbers to the pattern and explain the
rule; background given about this specific numerical pattern known as The Binary
Sequence; Complete 2 worksheets about The Binary Sequence to learn the pattern &
discover why the numbers in the sequence are so special
5th Class: Review The Binary Sequence; Complete two worksheets: one that compares
The Fibonacci Sequence and The Binary Sequence & combines the two sequences and
the other one is figuring out a code of Binary Numbers; Learn a Binary Numbers Magic
Trick
6th Class: Introduce one last pattern; discover how this pattern is arranged in a
different way than other two patterns; find out the numbers to complete the pattern
and explain the rule; background given about this specific pattern known as Pascal’s
Number Pattern (or more specific by its shape); Complete a worksheet to learn more
about this pattern
7th Class: Discuss the many patterns in multiplication; Complete a worksheet about
patterns in multiplication; Learn to play a math patterns game
8th Class: Review all the patterns; Use what you have learned about patterns to create
your own number pattern for your classmates to solve; Play the math patterns game
again