Ms. Krehbiel's and Ms. Gurevich's classes used a website to show their understanding of patterns. Patterning is an important foundational skill for mathematical and algebraic thinking (see the links to student work in the upper grades). This activity links patterns to music. Students use the following website:
http://www.philtulga.com/fractionbars.html *
They create patterns by moving colored musical bars to the "ruler."
|
This student has made a simple ABAB pattern on the top row. The student has then translated the pattern on the bottom row using different colors. Being able to translate patterns is a higher order skill in which the student must understand the pattern on an abstract level. |
|
|
This student shows an AB pattern on top and an ABC pattern on the bottom. |
|
|
|
|
This student has translated an AAAB pattern. The letter pattern (AAAB) was given to the student, and she was asked to show it with the bars. |
|
|
This student has translated an ABB pattern.
|
|
|
A student in Ms. Gurevich's class used the whole octave to create a pattern, an ABCDEFGH pattern. In this pattern, the bars are by color but also from longest to shortest. Some students who struggled at first with creating patterns looking at the colors, started focusing on the length of the bars.
|
Another great feature of this activity is that the pattern can be emailed and heard later. If you would like to hear the pattern above, follow these directions:
1) Go to http://www.philtulga.com/fractionbars.html.
2) Click on the "Email It!" button near the bottom of the page.
3) Copy this code (include both number signs):
#MF00112233445566778091A2B3C4D5E6F7,00112233445566778091A2B3C4D5E6F7-0#
4) Paste it into the box entitled "Paste a code for a new rhythm."
5) Press the "Done" button and you can hear the Song!
|
The added benefit of this activity is that students can hear the pattern by playing these bars. Each color is a different scaled note. Another benefit is that the bars play over and over again in a loop. Students can appreciate the fact that this is a pattern that goes on and on, never stopping.
(Note: Each bar is a musical note: A through G and is labeled as such on the site. Tell the students to ignore the letter of the note, though. They are used to naming the first element in a pattern as A, the second as B, etc. They should continue to name the pattern in this manner.)
Have students practice naming patterns as they listen to the musical notes. Make a pattern like the one above. Play the pattern without letting the students see. Have the student name the pattern using letters.
If you are completing this activity in the computer lab, have one student complete the top ruler. Have another student come by to translate the pattern on the second ruler.
Indicators:
1.K.1.2 identify, describe, copy,
extend, and construct simple
patterns using concrete objects.
1.1.1.1 recognize, describe, extend,
and create repeating patterns using
models.
1.1.1.2 copy, continue, and record
patterns with actions, words, and
objects; translate a pattern into
another form.
|
