Falling Into Math This Fall: Math Activities and Patterns
Fall is my favorite season. Living in New England in the United States, I get to view the beautiful fall foliage that each year brings. I love seeing the leaves change to bright golden, bold red, glowing orange, and soft brown. The air feels fresh and clean as the wind dances around the trees. The sun lights up the miles and miles of colorful trees like nature’s artwork. It is truly breathtaking.
Not only do I love the fall foliage, but I also love the activities that come with the season. Apple picking and pumpkin searching at the farms can be a lot of fun. Can your children also have math fun during the fall season? Yes! Absolutely! Math is everywhere. Counting apples in the orchard or looking at the orchards as an array can immerse your learner in math and science! In my previous post, I discussed getting outside and doing math. Fall is a great time to do that as well! Show your children that math is out there in the world.
For many children, it is still the beginning of their school year. What is one of the most important concepts in math? Some may say addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. Math facts are very important to know. However, there is another important math concept that is very important. That concept is…. patterns! Understanding patterns and the connections in math can help students have a deeper understanding of the entire subject.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you want your child to master their addition doubles. I have posted the list below. Do you notice any patterns?
What did you notice?
I want you to look at this addition doubles list next.
All the addition doubles addends increase by one. Now read the red sums down. They all increase by two. We have 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20.
Understanding that the doubles increase by two can help children solve the problems and understand addition doubles. They can even use knowledge of skip counting by 2. Now they have just realized a connection between skip counting and addition doubles. Math is amazing!
As your child begins their fall math work, remember that there is math all around us and so many patterns to observe and explore. Below is a photo of a color pattern with pumpkins. Ask your child what should come next. Enjoy your fall season!
-Stephanie
