Introducing a New Site: Visual Patterns
Michael's Math Mistakes, Andrew's Estimation 180, and Dan's latest Graphing Stories made me think about creating a site that features visual patterns in which students are invited to figure out an equation for each one. If you've been following my blog or know me in person, then I think this whole pattern thing seems like a natural extension of what I'd love to share.
I don't know of an existing site that has what I have in mind.
But the ideas lie restless in my head because the idiot half of meself does not know how to create a functional site where visitors can click here and there and do this and that. Nor do I have the resources to make it happen.
I have more concerns and questions than answers:
- The site needs its own domain name. [12/27: Done. Site is at http://www.visualpatterns.org/.]
- I don't want this to be "my" site because a. that's ridiculous and b. I simply cannot do this alone. I'm hoping it will become OUR site.
- That said, the site needs you and your students to submit more patterns and be credited for your work. Yes, I have accumulated a bunch over the years, but I get bored easily with my own stuff.
- Can we get patterns in live action? More compelling/perplexing images?
- What do you think of the handout for students to fill in?
I do believe it's a good thing. And I know with your critical feedback and guidance, this site will serve its purpose of helping students develop algebraic thinking through visual patterns.
Thank you so much for reading!
Posted by fawnnguyen at December 27, 2012 12:31 AM 
Categories: Problem Solving, Algebra 1, Math 6, General Math, Geometry
Tags: visual patterns algebraic thinking algebra patterns
Categories: Problem Solving, Algebra 1, Math 6, General Math, Geometry
Tags: visual patterns algebraic thinking algebra patterns
This is absolutely fantastic - thanks for starting this up. I'm going to brainstorm some ideas for how to get kids involved. We would certainly love to participate.
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Hooray!! Thank you, James. I can't wait to feature the kids' patterns.
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Terrific idea. I have some patterns I can share. Maybe you can use a DropItTo.Me account or something similar? Or give us an email address to send our examples to?
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Thank you, David! Yes, at the bottom of the instructions page (whose link is at the top of each pattern) is my email address. I better stick with email for now, setting up one new account of anything will auto-set my hair on fire. Not pretty.
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Cool idea! I'm not sure I understand the patterns with positive and negative numbers, though. Should the tables and equations have three variables? Or should the positive and negative numbers be added together?
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Hi Katie! Great question. I was thinking of just the value v of each step n when a pattern has + and - numbers. For example, the equation for Pattern #11 would be: v = 2n-1
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Makes sense -- thanks for the response! And I just emailed you a few patterns to add to the site.
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Love it!
I am interested in the 4th question that you posed:
"Can we get patterns in live action? More compelling/perplexing images?"
I'll keep that on the back of my mind and maybe come up with something in the future.
Happy holidays!
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Thanks, Jimmy! Happy Holidays to you!
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I love the idea, especially of students coming up with their own patterns to submit.
I was unable to access the "site"...just got an error message.
I checked out your earlier post and loved the conversation between you and the student who had 4*14 for a picture, but had 4n-4 for the equation. Even though it "worked", there was no connection between the image and the equation. You nudged him in the right direction. Great teaching move! Practice Standards in action (abbreviated form):
#1 Make sense and persevere
#2 Reason abstractly & quantitatively
#3 Construct viable arguments
#6 Attend to precision
#7 Look for structure
#8 Use repeated reasoning
Great lesson. I would love to see your rubric. Thanks for sharing and good luck with the site idea!
PS The mental image of creating a new account auto-setting your hair on fire is hilarious (not that I want to SEE it happen...it might just hurt a wee bit!)
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Thanks so much, Elaine. I changed the site's URL to its own at http://visualpatterns.org/
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Awesome! I'll be on the lookout for opportunities to find/make some of these.
It'd be nice to have a "random" button for the patterns~
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Yes, it would be GREAT to have a random button, Andrew! Now, you go make it happen.
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Fabulous idea and creation! Have you considered adding GeoGebra applets for "live action" patterns? Not sure if that's a direction you want to go, but it does offer the site interactivity. I found several applets just by typing "patterns" in the GeoGebraTube search bar. There are varying degrees of complexity depending on the grade level.
Here are a few I found:
Snake
http://www.geogebratube.org/student/m19701
Sierpinski triangle
http://www.geogebratube.org/student/m12054
Trapeze Patterns
http://www.geogebratube.org/material/show/id/13865
Lights Out
http://www.geogebratube.org/student/m1269
http://www.geogebratube.org/material/show/id/4052
http://www.geogebratube.org/material/show/id/1256
Bouncing Ball
http://www.geogebratube.org/student/m21327
Exponent Patterns
http://www.geogebratube.org/student/m13850
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Holy cow, Mary! No, the site is not as fabulous as YOU are with all the links you provided!! I LOVE the Lights Out games, OMG, so addicting. I totally want to include stuff like this -- patterns are everywhere -- I just don't know how to make them. I hope others, including students, will submit their fabulous creations! So I'll include the links in a category by itself. The Snake pattern is cool too. (Trapeze didn't load for me, not sure how that works.)
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Thank you, thank you, thank you. What a terrific idea and one that could definitely become something that we all build together.
I love the idea of student contributed patterns. Maybe giving them your directions and then seeing how easily they can translate it into something they can do.
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"...one that could definitely become something that we all build together." Absolutely!! Within 2 days, I already had about 20 patterns submitted from others. Now, I'm waiting for yours and your kids'. Chop chop, Marsha! (By the way, the picture of you holding up the note always warms my heart, so thank you thank you thank you, Marsha.)
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This looks fantastic! Another source I'd recommend is Henri Picciotto and his work with pattern blocks. He had some particularly interesting questions about finding the pattern for both perimeter and area, and how they are related (or what the limits are on one if you know the other, for example). http://www.mathedpage.org/teachers/trains.pdf should get you started. I've seen fancy "cars" to make the trains out of, instead of using only single blocks, as well.
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Oh, I left a comment at Picciotto's blog a few weeks ago -- am definitely a fan. His train pattern lesson is terrific! Thank you, Josh, for pointing it out to me. I featured one of his patterns as Pattern #42.
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This is great. If it's appropriate for my Discrete class (I'm still figuring out what I'll be teaching them...), it'll be a great resource for me.
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Thanks, Sue. I'm really excited it's out there as a resource, and I'm thrilled that half of them so far already came from others. Speaking of which, I think you should have the Discrete class create the patterns, Sue!
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