This three-part example from Illuminations highlights different aspects of students' understanding and use of patterns as they analyze relationships and make predictions, as discussed in the Algebra Standard. This first part, Making Patterns, includes an interactive figure for creating, comparing, and viewing multiple repetitions of patterns. The interactive figure illustrates how students can create pattern units of squares, then predict how patterns with different numbers of squares will appear when repeated in a grid, and check their predictions. In the second part, Describing Patterns, examples of various ways students might interpret the same sequence of cubes are given. This illustrates the importance of discussing and analyzing patterns in the classroom. The third part, Extending Pattern Understandings, demonstrates ways in which students begin to create a 'unit of units,' or a grouping that can be repeated, and begin to relate two patterns in a functional relationship. e-Math Investigations are selected e-examples from the electronic version of the Principles and Standards of School Mathematics (PSSM). The e-examples are part of the electronic version of the PSSM document. Given their interactive nature and focused discussion tied to the PSSM document, the e-examples are natural companions to the i-Math investigations.

Students will explore patterns by looping a string and determining how many pieces there will be based on the number of cuts made.  Students will create a table for the pattern and analyze the features of the pattern to determine the rule for the pattern.  Students will use a model to consider explicit thinking (what is happening across the columns) versus recursive thinking (down the table columns). 

In this lesson students explore patterns in the context of placing garden pavers.