Building with Bricks

1) Introduction to simple patterns

• Activity-1:

To introduce patterns, the following can be done as a warm-up activity:

a)Make all the students in the class to stand in a line.

b)One student should face the class and the next student should face the board.

c)Students could also be made to stand in a boy-girl-boy-girl order or any other simple pattern

d)Ask students to recognize the patterns and discuss what might come next.

e)Students may then be asked to get into groups and come up with patterns of their own. 

• Actvity-2:

To enable children to understand the repetitive nature of patterns.

a)Teacher chooses from materials like chairs, tables, floor, windows etc., which have patterns to introduce to children.

b)Students can also be taken outdoors to observe patterns in leaves, arrangement of leaves, flowers etc.

For Example:

Step-1: Choose any chair, table etc., which involves patterns.

Step-2: Ask children to draw the pattern they see in this chair/table.

Step-3: Discussion

i.Why do you like this interesting design? [Introduce the word ‘pattern’.]

ii.How do you create this pattern?

iii.What are patterns?

2) Pattern-Making using Shapes:

Divide students into groups and distribute the shapes to each group. Ask students to make different patterns using the given shapes. This will make students to think creatively.

3) Paper-Folding Activity:

Take a A4-sized paper and fold it as given in the picture and try to make the pattern as shown.

Discussion Questions: -

a)Ask the students to observe and find the patterns in the paper

b)Why are such patterns formed?

c)Ask them to create similar patterns on their own

d)Highlight the patterns as student make and continue discussion based on the patterns.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yugjwTOgreg

4) ‘Jaali’ Pattern-Making Activity:

Materials required: cardboard sheet (black), pencils, colours, sketches,

rectangular/squared coloured chart pieces, and glue

Step-1: Draw a 6-inch by 6-inch square.

Step-2: Draw a 12x12 grid (consisting of half an inch per block) inside the square.

Step-3: Use a darker pencil to trace all of the horizontal lines.

Step-4: In the first horizontal row, draw a vertical line every 1 inch or 2 blocks of the grid using a sketch pen

Step-5: Erase the pencil lines.

Step-6: Colour your drawing and your brick wall is done.

5) Circular Patterns:

Observe the circle patterns and discuss how they are made in real life.

Discussion Note:

a.How do you create such kind of patterns?

b.Provide more circular pattern models and discuss concrete patterns inside these patterns.

c.Discuss the character of circular patterns and illustrate the circular pattern. Explain the essence of the circular patterns.

After discussion, provide worksheet containing circular shapes and try to make the patterns.

6) Visualizing Solid Shapes (Bricks) [Worksheet]:

Discussion: Show some bricks to students and start discussion.

a)How many faces does a brick have?

b)What is the shape of the faces of the brick?

c)Which bricks have curved edges?

d)Which bricks are symmetric?

e)Which brick can you use for making patterns? Why?

Worksheet link: http://www.kv1chandimandir.org/admin/downloads/2054690074worksheets_for_class_4_(cluster).pdf

7) Pattern Designing: (Tessellation)

A Tessellation (or Tiling) is when we cover a surface with a pattern of flat shapes so that there are no overlaps or gaps.

Procedure:

Ask students to paste coloured pieces of shapes and form patterns of their choice. From this activity we can understand student's view/creativity skill in generating patterns.

Teacher can give children worksheets to create colour patterns. The worksheet could contain, square dot sheet on one side and isometric dot sheet on another side.

Download link(square and isometric dot sheets): https://lrt.ednet.ns.ca/PD/BLM/pdf_files/dot_paper/iso_dot_1cm.pdf

https://lrt.ednet.ns.ca/PD/BLM/pdf_files/dot_paper/sq_dot_1cm.pdf

https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/tessellation-artist.html

(Content Courtesy: Mrs. Gomathy, GGPS Savarayalu naicker.)