- shows examples and non-examples 
- could be made into a practical, problem solving task
- room for extension -different starting shapes

Negatives:
- could be a difficult task as children can not hold and manipulate the shape meaning visual learners may struggle
- closed questions which limits discussion

-It allows the children to work on their visualisation skills.

- There are range of sequences.

-It gets more challenging as it progresses

- Allows children to be independent as they’re creating their own patterns 

- It allows questioning- teachers and peers can question their patterns, allowing the child to reason. 

-Can add different colours to make it more challenging 

 

Negatives: 

- The same objects have been used, so this could limit their understanding. Using different objects/shapes could allow them to understand that patterns apply to a range of shapes.

- Children may stick to creating simple patterns if they’re left alone to create their own patterns.

- Could be used as a distraction, children can play with them rather than use them mathematically.

Positives:

-          Leads nicely to paired or class discussion

-          Will easily show if children don’t understand the mathematical vocabulary

-          Allows for a good CPA transition.

Negatives:

-          There are only 3 example questions, currently high attaining children will need more questions.

-          The language may be confusing, moving one peg may be confused with moving one space.

- Variation 

- Children can use their imagination 

- This could be used with resources or as a visual approach.

Negatives:

- It doesn't relate to real life
- One question is not very specific and open, which could lead the children off topic
- This isn’t appropriate for an abstract way of learning 

-      There is a wide range of numbers from 3,5,7 to 38, 56, 74

-      Opportunity for discussion, and group work

-      Different levels for the children

-      Variation is used

-      Questions at the bottom for children to consider about sequences

Negatives:
-      Could confuse children with their times tables

-      Only numbers used and always going up in addition

-      The ‘shifting times tables’ concept could be confusing.

-      Only one answer

·         This task encourages children to think about division rules independently through investigation. The children can find out patterns for particular divisors and come up with a list of rules. For example, when the divisor is 5, if they dividend ends in a 5 or 0 then the answer will be a whole number.

·         Children could create their own booklets that have rules for common divisors in them and then this will allow the children to see patterns that cross over different divisors. 

·         This activity includes procedural variation where one aspect (the dividend) is varied, whilst another aspect (the divisor) is kept the same. This allows pupils to observe what essential features and rules are needed when dividing by a particular number.  

Disadvantages

·         If children make a mistake then this could create a misconception that then carries on with them after the activity affecting the rest of their learning. 

·         Children may only come up with one rule for each answer and they may think that this is the only rule. For example, with the question ‘When is the answer a whole number?’ when working with the divisor of 5, children may identify that the dividend has to end in a 5, which is correct, however, they may miss the other rule of the dividend ending in 0.  

Negatives