ED2652 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Cuisenaire Rods, Number Sense, Fibonacci Number
Mathematics 2: Number and Algebra
Tutorial Six – Week Six
Algebra, Number Patterns & The Curriculum
• Questions from readings
o What are some of the teaching ideas that should be employed when asking students to copy, create, or
extend repeating patterns?
▪ Tessellations – Drawing
▪ Coloured Beads on necklaces or pipe cleaners
▪ Skip counting activities
▪ Odd and even numbers
o Why is it important for young students to understand the differences between and have multiple
experiences with both repeating patterns and growing patterns?
▪ Understand that there can be many formats
▪ Differentiation between pattern types
• Repeating
o Identifying the form and order and then repeating the arrangement
• Growing
o A core element used to create an increasing or decreasing pattern
• Chick and Harris (2007), and Kieran (2006)
o Stress the importance of getting primary school students to analyse relationships and notice structure
o Identifying a pattern
• Re-emergence of the prominence of Algebra in the Australian Curriculum
o This is problematic in that many primary teachers have
▪ Little expertise in algebra (Chick & Harris, 2007)
▪ Little confidence (Norton and Windsor, 2008)
o It is also generally recognised that the traditional approaches to teaching algebra have met with limited
success (Norton & Irvin)
• Norton and Irvin (2007)
o Report that there are solutions to the issue of limited success
▪ Making explicit algebraic thinking inherit in arithmetic in children’s earlier learning
▪ Using multiple representations including the use of technology
▪ Recognising the importance of embedding algebra into contextual themes (p. 552)
• Norton and Windsor (2008)
o State that confidence and competence in Algebra is an important filter for more advanced courses in
mathematics thinking and problem solving. Edwards (2000) calls Algebra a ‘gatekeeper’ to other
academic fields and that participation in it increases vocational possibilities
• Why teach algebraic reasoning?
o The move into formal algebra must develop as a gradual process not a sudden one.
o Throughout their early and middle years, students must be given the opportunity to understand algebra as
generalised arithmetic.
o Students must be provided with the opportunity to see that Algebra is much more than the manipulation of
symbols and has relevance.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
