RUNNING HEAD: Caroline Barto SUCCESS!

STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLAY MATH GAMES TOGETHER 1

Success! Students and Parents Play Math Games Together

Caroline Barto
Pittsburg State University
Caroline Barto SUCCESS! STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLAY MATH GAMES TOGETHER 2

Success! Students and Parents Play Math Games Together

In preparation for math night, Taylor and I first looked for math games that fit in the

section of Algebra. We selected the game Petals around the Rose. After we found our game we

created our misconception papers, which we both used to created our lesson plan. We both

worked together to create the lesson plan. I filled some areas and Taylor filled others, then we

both doubled checked the others work. We had a work day dedicated to creating our board and

dice. I created the sketch of the Enchantress on the board and Taylor made the design of the

dice. We both worked to color both items.

Preconceptions that I had about our activity was that students may think our pattern was

random (Flip Book, 2014). This is thinking that there isnt a rule to find what comes next. I was

worried this was going to be the main problem for everyone when trying to solve the rule. Based

on ages and the area the school was I thought that students were more likely to struggle with

finding the pattern. The reason being is that I thought there will be a higher ratio of younger

children to older children at the event. I also thought that the older children would understand

better, for the fact that they worked with repeating patterns more. In Van De Walle, it says that

using more patterns often will help students out (Van De Walle, Karp, & Bay-Williams, 2016).

At the event I was wrong about the ratio, it was pretty balanced. I was also amazed how

some students the same age understood the pattern differently. I was right about students

believing that the pattern was random and we were making up numbers. However, with

guidance we helped students figure out what the rule was. I also thought that no one would get

the rule until we hit the edge of telling the students the answer. One group of boys proved me

wrong. They used three dice and they needed very little prompting from us to figure out the rule.

In the article from NCTM, it talked about how manipulatives can help students with patterns
Caroline Barto SUCCESS! STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLAY MATH GAMES TOGETHER 3

(Markworth, 2016). I think this was true for the fact that they had the dice in front of them and

they were able to see how we achieved the pattern.

Some highlights I had from math night, besides the three boys, was seeing the looks on

the students faces. This was from when they saw the Beauty and the Beast theme set up we had,

I was proud of that set up, then the look when the light bulb went off for the students. Even

when we had to help them get to the answer, the look on their faces when they understood was

fantastic. Another highlight was how quick a second grader understood the topic of patterns and

was able to solve the rule. When we asked what difference between a four and five was, she

replied there is a dot in the middle of the 5. True she needed guidance from us but she still

understood and found it.

I feel that we were able to follow our lesson plan pretty well. We had some hiccups with

younger students, but overall it worked out well. The part I think that worked out the most was

the explanation beginning part of the lesson. We had a lot of students that were able to define or

explain what a pattern is. I feel that we had a hard time with the understanding for students.

Even when we helped them find the answer they were still confused how they found it. What I

would change, first would only have this game for older kids and not younger children. Second I

would take the data I found and find ways to guide students to the answer better without giving

the answer away.

From the charts shown below it shows us students were better at explanation than the

other two. In explanation we see that almost all students had a clear explanation of what patterns

are that needed little prompting. In understanding, students were between knowing some

concepts or all concepts of patterns. In strategies, students needed help to solve the problem of

the rule of the pattern. Overall I see that explaining what patterns are students could do it.
Caroline Barto SUCCESS! STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLAY MATH GAMES TOGETHER 4

However, to solve a pattern, they need help or it has to be clear cut to solve the pattern. An

example of clear cut is; red, blue, red, blue.

In the quotes with students, I noticed that they all had a form of explaining patterns.

Most was through example, 2,1,2,1,2, or saying repeats. For these students I view them in

the preoperational stage of Piagets theory (B. Fincher, personal communication). There was one

student whos age was in preoperational, but did an explication in concrete stage. This student

said, A sequence of repeating patterns. I only asked can you explain a pattern to me and I

received that answer. In Dr. Finchers lecture, we spoke how students could fall into the next

stage earlier than others. With this student, they helped show me how this does happen. When

helping students see what the rule of the pattern is, I noticed they had a lot of preoperational

views. They only noticed what they saw. We had quotes that were, there is a dot in the

middle, and They have diagonals.

During this whole process I learned that collaboration is a great tool to use. I feel that

will all this planning I would be lost. This is also during math night with the coming and going

of students, I would have been lost without my partner. I also want to find ways to work on

helping guiding students to answers. I kept feeling throughout the whole night that I was just

giving the students the answers. I also learned that it is good to let students know it is ok if you

dont understand something. I know that I was confused how to find the rule in our game, and

our classmates had trouble too. When you see the students that finally understand the problem, it

is such an amazing thing to witness.

Caroline Barto SUCCESS! STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLAY MATH GAMES TOGETHER 5
Caroline Barto SUCCESS! STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLAY MATH GAMES TOGETHER 6
Caroline Barto SUCCESS! STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLAY MATH GAMES TOGETHER 7
Caroline Barto SUCCESS! STUDENTS AND PARENTS PLAY MATH GAMES TOGETHER 8

Reference

Kansas College Career Ready Standards for Mathematics Flip Book for Grade 4. (2014).

Markworth, K.A. (2016). A Repeat Look at Repeating Patterns. Teaching Children

Mathematics, 23, 22-29.

Van De Walle, J.A., Karp, K.S., & Bay-Williams, J.M. (2016). Elementary and Middle

School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, Pgs. 15-16 & 307-312

Zordak, S.E. (n.d.). Petals Around the Rose. NCTM Illuminations. Retrieved from

http://illuminations.nctm.org/Lesson.aspx?id=1865