Using Repeating Patterns to Explore Functional Thinking

Abstract

This paper explores ways that teachers can reformulate common mathematical activities in the primary school to provide stronger bridges for thinking algebraically. The focus is not on introducing formal algebraic notation in the primary context, but rather to look at common activities through new lenses, that is, lenses that support the growth of algebraic reasoning. The authors report on some recent classroom teaching that examines repeating patterns and uses children's understandings of repeating patterns to begin to explore concepts related to functional thinking