| Grade Level | System Requirement | Product Number |
|---|---|---|
| K – Grade 1 | Apple 128K | A227 |
| Kids enter a world of intergalactic patterns and entertaining space creatures. They experience patterns aurally and visually and learn to recognize and extend linear patterns-skills that are cornerstones of good math and science reasoning. | ||
Introduction
Understanding the concept of patterns and being able to identify and use them is a very important skill for children to acquire because patterns lay the foundation of mathematical and scientific thinking. The ability to recognize patterns is also an important factor in reading and music.
Patterns is a collection of four programs designed to provide kindergarten and first grade students with opportunities to experience patterns visually and aurally, to develop skills in recognizing and extending linear patterns, and to apply their understanding of the concept of patterns to the creation of original patterns. In addition, the programs help students sharpen their visual and memory skills.
This product features a variety of Teacher Options (pages 4-7) that enable you to modify the presentation of the material to meet the needs of your students.
Space Objects gives students practice in extending static patterns based on a variety of attributes: shape, color, type of object, type of design, height, and width. Using the Teacher Options, you can control the pattern combinations shown, the attributes exhibited by the patterns, and the level of difficulty of the problems.
Moon Walker involves students in extending patterns based on entertaining actions performed by space characters. Using the Teacher Options, you can designate the pattern combinations to be presented, the speed at which the characters animate, and the difficulty level of the problems.
Astro Sounds helps students sharpen their aural discrimination skills and challenges them to extend sound patterns that combine high, low, and medium pitches. Each element in the pattern is represented by a set of two notes (easy and medium difficulty levels) or three notes (hard difficulty level). Using the Teacher Options, you can specify the pattern combinations to include in the drill, the difficulty of the problems, and the speed at which the notes are played
Cosmic Creator is an exploration activity that encourages students’ creativity and experimentation. In this program, students create a pattern by using static elements. Once a static pattern is created, students can experiment with different templates to create and print a variety of designs that incorporate it.
Students can leave a program by pressing the Escape (ESC) Key twice whenever the program is waiting for a response. Sound serves two purposes in this product. In Astro Sounds, it is used to convey the pattern. In this program and elsewhere, sounds are used simply to add interest. These optional sound effects may be turned on or off at any time by typing Control-S (press the S Key while holding down the Control Key).
This is a product from MECC’s Early Learning Series. The matrix on the next page outlines the products in this series.
Curriculum Area: Mathematics, Fine Arts
Subject: Mathematics, Music
Grade Level: K- 1
Topics:
- Problem Solving;
- Visual Discrimination;
- Characteristics of Pitch and Melody;
- Melodic Pattern Recognition
Description: Patterns provides kindergarten and first-grade students with opportunities to experience patterns visually and aurally, to develop skills in recognizing and extending linear patterns, and to apply their understanding of the concept of patterns to the creation of original patterns. It also helps students sharpen their visual and memory skills.
Computer Rationale: Patterns capitalizes on the computer’s sound and animation capabilities to give practice in identifying action and sound patterns. The computer gives immediate feed-back specific to the type of response, and randomizes the presentation of the material.
Features:
- Teacher Options allow you to individualize instruction by specifying the difficulty level of the problems, types of pattern combinations shown, attributes that patterns exhibit, and the speed at which sound or action is presented
- allows you to define up to five different content groups at ariy time, enabling students with different ability levels to use the same diskette
- allows students to print the patterns they create in Cosmic Creator
Menu Options:
SPACE OBJECTS-gives students practice extending static patterns based on a variety of attributes: shape, color, type of object, type of design, height, and width.
MOON WALKER-gives students practice extending patterns based on actions performed by spaced characters. The speed at which the characters animate can be modified.
ASTRO SOUNDS-helps students hone their aural discrimination skills while extending sound patterns that combine low, medium, and high pitches. Each pattern element can be indicated by two or three notes and the speed at which notes are played can be modified.
COSMIC CREATOR-allows students to create static patterns, fostering creativity.