How to Create Pattern Block Puzzles
Pattern block puzzles are designed to challenge children to think about the relationships among the properties( angles and area) of the pattern blocks. They can be made from any sturdy material, such as cardboard, poster board, mat board, foam board, art foam, or any other stiff material that has some thickness. To make them:
1. Use pattern blocks to create a design. 2. Tape the blocks together, then place the design on cardboard or another sturdy material. 3. Trace around the design. 4. Using a utility knife or scissors, carefully cut the design from the center of the material.
Pattern block puzzles made from wood, cardboard, mat board, foam board, and art foam.
Pattern Block Puzzles: A Research Study
My observations led me to study this phenomenon more. I wanted to know why children sought out the pattern block puzzles after ignoring previous pattern block activities. One explanation is that the puzzles require action, which is necessary for constructing knowledge( Piaget 1985; Kamii et al. 2004; DeVries & Zan 2012). Additionally, they appeal to children’ s interests, allow for experimentation, and require spatial reasoning. As children place blocks inside puzzles and observe the results, they construct mental spatial relationships between the placement of the blocks and how those blocks do or do not fit. As the process continues, children begin to construct knowledge about how differently shaped blocks fit into the puzzles’ differently shaped spaces. This process of experimentation is known as error-informed( DeVries & Sales 2011): Figuring out what does not work is a critical aspect of learning.
In contrast to matching activities and filling in designs with no firm boundaries, the empty spaces inside the pattern block puzzles are just that— empty spaces. These pose challenges, most with many
different solutions. The raised edges of the puzzles impose boundaries that are difficult to ignore. When children attempt to insert blocks into spaces that are too small( impossible spaces), the block protrudes over the edge of the puzzle, making it clear that there is a problem. This problem is a contradiction to children’ s expectations, causing them to realize that their idea is not working and that they must find a different solution.
Most of the children with whom I worked were stimulated and excited by the challenges posed by the pattern block puzzles. While I had a sense of why, there were still gaps in the research. So, I designed a research study to examine the following questions:
›“ Why are the children so interested and excited about the puzzles and not anything I tried before?”
›“ What are children learning?”
›“ What is happening in their minds as they learn?”
For my study, I worked with a federally funded prekindergarten class in a public school in an urban Midwestern community. The participants were 14 children ranging in age from 4 years 0 months to 4 years 10 months. All of the children( six females and eight males) were at or below the federal poverty level
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