Putting Theory Into Practice
Ms. Jones was preparing to begin a unit focused on
pattern skills and concepts. After examining
pre-assessment data collected from her second-grade
students, Ms. Jones realized that several of her students
were proficient in the pattern content included in the
state standards while the other students varied with
respect to which concepts and skills they had
mastered. For example, Tamara correctly answered
even the most complex pattern task on the preassessment,
Mark correctly extended repeating patterns
but had difficulty with growing patterns, and Jill did
not complete any of the tasks correctly. Ms. Jones
planned on using a pattern activity provided to her
from her school district’s curriculum coupled with a
commercial game that she has in her classroom. After
reviewing the pre-assessment data, Ms. Jones realized
that this plan would not meet the wide range of
learners’ needs and she also understood the
importance of patterns for her students’ future
mathematical success. She needed to find a way of
differentiating her instruction so that all students
engaged in activities that were respectful of their
understanding with regard to pattern topics.
The above vignette is representative of problem-based
learning (PBL) mathematics units that were implemented as
part of a federally funded project in 15 second-grade
classrooms in five schools. Fifty-eight percent of the students
in the participating schools were eligible for the free/reduced
lunch program, 11% were English language learners, and 18%
were identified as needing special education services. The
overarching goal of the project was to use curriculum as a
vehicle for increasing the identification of talented students
in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) areas, particularly those from under-represented
populations.
One of the PBL units focused on the concept of patterns
and pattern-calendar applications. During the unit
implementation, students were challenged to plan a class
party, which required them find an agreeable date for them
and their schools, order party supplies, and decorate the
party room. The unit was carefully designed to include
student use of repeating and growing patterns for completing
these tasks. For example, one lesson required the students to
decorate their classroom with colored balloons. To ensure
equity for the number and color of balloons for each student
desk, students were instructed to use a repeating pattern
when choosing balloons (e.g., each desk was decorated with
one yellow and one red balloon: ryryry or each desk was
decorated with two yellow, one red, and one white balloon:
yyrwyyrwyyrw, etc . . .). Students used a picture of their
classroom together with magnetic balloon manipulatives to
make pattern choices. To help facilitate this activity and
provide the teacher with time to work with pairs of students,
a differentiated card game focused on patterns called Match
Me was available to the teachers. This game was used as a