Welcome!
I've been collecting materials here for today's hands-on pattern blocks workshop for parents of gifted children enrolled in the Saturday program at the Center for Talent Development. I've decided to make my preparation public here, so this is a "work in progress." Stay tuned. I am likely to continue to add to this entry after the workshops.
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Use your pattern blocks to create a picture or design.
Here's an example:
Make a graph to show how many of each type of pattern block you used.
Then, just for fun, watch this:
Pattern Blocks Art by DJ JAB and DJ Simms - YouTube
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Try to make a pattern block person using the following pieces:
2 yellow hexagons
4 red trapezoids
1 blue rhombus
4 green triangles
Or choose your own blocks.
Try to "cover a floor" by creating a pattern using two different shapes only. Try using only orange squares and blue rhombuses. Now "cover a floor" using green triangles, blue rhombuses, and one other shape.
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Note: There are all kinds of math lessons using pattern blocks to be found on youtube. They vary from very elementary to more complicated topics. Some videos are designed to show the viewer what an activity might look like--here is a young girl just learning about the shapes of the blocks. Other videos are designed to teach teachers how to use pattern blocks with children. For example, you can use the extended set of pattern blocks and this video to learn about dividing fractions. Or look at the same topic taught by a different teacher. What I really like about using youtube in this way is that it serves students who need a different explanation or those who prefer one teacher to another. You can look at a few different lesson series and choose the one you like best.
More from youtube:
Patterning with Pattern Blocks ABB
Pattern Blocks Fractions
Pattern Blocks - Polygons
Pattern Blocks - Regular and Irregular Polygons
Pattern Blocks - Tessellations
Here's a delightful video showing a young child covering a six-pointed star in multiple ways:
Composing Shapes with Child 12 » Erikson Institute Early Math Collaborative
If you prefer pinterest:
Pattern Blocks on Pinterest
TIPS for Manipulatives PATTERN BLOCKS
VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES to use until you get a set at home
Patch Tool
Pattern Blocks - NLVM
Pattern Blocks 2 - ShapeGame
or print these on card stock and cut them out:
Expanded Set of Ten Pattern Blocks - Montgomery County Public ...
RECORDING SHEETS
Pattern Blocks Grid
Dynamic Paper choose Graph Paper, then Isometric Dot Paper
PATTERNS
Follow the pattern -- Which shapes go next? -- interactive
K-2 Lesson Look How I'm Growing (starts on page 6)
SHAPES
Same Shape, Different Pieces
Pattern Block Fill-In, shape A
Math Forum: Activity Pattern Blocks
Region Relationships
Region Relationships 2
Region Relationships 3
Gr.5-6 How many ways can you think of to build hexagons using your Pattern Blocks?
Angles with Hinged Mirrors
Measuring Angles A Lesson for Seventh and Eighth Graders (uses hinged mirrors)
FRACTIONS
Cynthia Lanius' Lessons: Fraction Shapes
What's My Number?
Cynthia Lanius' Lessons: More Fun Fractions
Cynthia Lanius' Lessons: Draw Fun Fractions
Cynthia Lanius' Lessons: Designer Fractions
Modeling Fractions with Pattern Blocks
5th And 6th Grade Math Lesson: Teaching Fractions classroom video
SYMMETRIES
from http://www.momshavequestionstoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Spring-Pattern-Blocks-Template.pdf
Designer Fractions - Symmetry
TESSELLATIONS
RepTile-AS-RepTiles (extensions: Mathematics, Nature, and Rep-tiles; Tilings with the Neighborhood Property)
Tiling the Plane
Math Forum: Tessellations using Activity Pattern Blocks
Symmetry Using Paper Folding, Pattern Blocks, Miras, and Origami (downloads a Word document)
LESSONS
What’s My Rule for Sorting?
Many Ways to Create Patterns
PATTERN BLOCK TOY FACTORY ◆ Pattern Blocks ◆ Grades K-2
Pattern Block Lessons to Meet Common Core State Standards Grades K–2
Grades K-2 lesson on growth patterns
Kindergarten to Grade 3 Geometry and Spatial Sense pattern block lessons begin on page 78
Geometry and Spatial Sense, Grades 4 to 6 pattern block lessons begin on page 79
Pattern Block Lessons to Meet Common Core State Standards Grades 3–5
Problem Solving Using Pattern Blocks
Slides, Flips and Turns
Investigating Fractions with Pattern Blocks
Pattern Block Fractions
Expanding Our Pattern Block Fraction Repertoire
Art Project with Pattern Blocks
Exploring the Value of the Whole
Understanding fractions
Covering the Plane with Rep‑Tiles
(explore further at Rep-Tiles and Rep-Tile -- from Wolfram MathWorld
EXTENSIONS
GEOMETRY Labs Henri Picciotto ACTIVITIES FOR GRADES 8–11
This is a whole book, and it is terrific! (many pattern block activities, starting with Lab 1.1; see especially Lab 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 5.4, 5.6, 7.2, 7.4, 9.5, 10.4, 11.8)
RepTiling the Euclidean space
Polyominoes: Puzzles, Patterns, Problems, and Packings
By Solomon W. Golombexplore this at Polyominoes: Puzzles, Patterns, Problems, and Packings - Solomon W. Golomb - Google Books
ODDS AND ENDS
Pattern Block Rock by David Tulga
REFERENCES
Mathematical Exploration - Mathematical Exploration: Trapezoids to Triangles
for excellent activities:
Developing Mathematics with Pattern Blocks, Grades K-5: Paul Swan, Geoff White
(show sample pages)
FOR PURCHASE:
Hinged Mirror [10234] - $2.99 : Educators Outlet, Buy More For Less
Wood 1 cm Pattern Blocks (250) - Bag [10212] - $17.49 : Educators Outlet, Buy More For Less
Fraction Pattern Blocks - Plastic .5 cm Set of 30 in a Box
Fraction Pattern Blocks - 1 cm Thick
Fraction Blocks - Set of 70 (these are the double hexagons and the chevrons)
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