Exploration Stations: Pattern Blocks

With your partner, visit each of the different stations. Play each game &
explore each activity. Put a check mark next to each station as you
complete it.

Record ideas, extensions and additional explanations you want to remember
about each of the stations.

Be prepared to share your thoughts & experiences at the end of the session.

Station
Blue & Green
Triangles
Cover the
Caterpillar
Delightful
Designs
Grab Bag
The Last Block
Make My
Design
National
Library of
Virtual
Manipulatives
Things I Want to Remember
Pattern Block
Pizza
Pattern Block
Puzzlers
Reaching the
Finish Line
Exploration Stations: Geometry
Blue & Green Triangles: Using only 3 blue and 3 green pattern blocks, arrange them
in various ways on the work mat to make triangles. How many different ways can
you arrange the 6 blocks to make a triangle?
Variation: Record each triangle using pattern block triangle paper and crayons.
Cover the Caterpillar: Cover the caterpillar with 4 yellow hexagon blocks. Use only
blue and green Pattern Blocks to cover your caterpillar. Record your solutions on the
Caterpillar Recording sheet. Compare your solutions with your partner’s. Any
similarities? Differences? caterpillar outline.
Delightful Designs: Explore the pattern blocks to create a design. Once you think
that your design is finished, use the recording sheet to indicate the number of each
block you used.
Variation: Select a Design Card indicating the number of blocks to use. How many
different designs can you make using the indicated blocks? Record your favorite design
by taking a photo and compare your design with other designs that used the same
Pattern Blocks. What do you notice?
Grab Bag: Reach inside the bag and try to find two objects that are the same.
Then, pull out the two objects and see if they match. As children are doing this
activity, look to see if they are able to find matching pairs without looking, or do
they take items out of the bag to check.
The Last Block: Using the hexagon game board, Player A places a green triangle on the
space marked “Start”. Then, take turns placing a Pattern Block on the board. At
least 1 side of each new block must touch at least 1 complete side of a block that is
already on the board. The player who covers the last open space wins. Take time to
discuss best moves.
Make My Design: Place the “wall” barrier between you and your partner. Partner A
begins by creating a design using 3 Pattern Blocks. Make sure that the blocks lie flat
and that no blocks are on top of one another. Describe your design to Partner B.
Partner B may ask questions to get more information. When Partner B is done,
remove the barrier and compare designs. If they are not alike, discuss why. Switch
roles and repeat the activity.
Variation: Use more than 3 blocks. Use only one kind of block.
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives: Go to: http://nlvm.usu.edu/. Click on the
box for PreK-2 and Geometry. Explore Pattern Blocks. Talk with your partner how
you might be able to use these virtual manipulatives in your own classroom and add
an idea or two to the list.
Pattern Block Pizza: Each player needs a Pizza game board. Player A spins the Pizza
Topping spinner. Whatever topping comes up, Player A puts that Pattern Block
shape on Pizza 1 on his/her game board. Player B spins the spinner and puts a clock
on Pizza 1 on his/her game board. Each player must completely fill one pizza before
moving on to the next pizza. If a player gets a Pattern Block that is too large to
fit on the pizza, he or she can exchange that Pattern Block for smaller ones that add
up to the shape spun. Players keep taking turns until both players have 6 full
pizzas.
Pattern Block Puzzlers: Choose a task card and solve. Is there more than one way
to solve the task? As you watch children work with the different puzzlers, look to
see if they fit the blocks into the puzzle, or if they just lay the blocks inside
without being concerned whether they fit or not. Do they pay attention to the
boundaries (lines)?
Reaching the Finish Line: Player A chooses a Pattern Block and places it at the
starting line. Player B then places a block next to the previous Pattern Block in any
arrangement as long as the new block touches the previous block and stays within the
track. Continue alternating until one player reaches the finish line without going over
it. Discuss strategies that you used to get close to the Finish Line.