Learning Resources LER 7252 User Manual

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Fast Track Learning

™

Skill-building

Activities & Games

Patterns 

& Shapes

Pattern Block

G

Fast Track Learning

LER 7252

™

Pattern Block

Patterns 

& Shapes

1

&

2

Skill-building

Activities & Games

Olga Gonzalez-Granat

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About This Book

In Fast Track Learning™ — Pattern

Blocks Patterns and Shapes, children

develop thinking and reasoning skills

through the use of pattern blocks.

Pattern blocks are a set of 6 shapes.

Each shape has a different color.

Pattern blocks are used to create

patterns and figures in art, and to

study mathematics, in classrooms

throughout the world.

In this book, children use pattern

blocks to solve puzzles by creating

space objects from the pieces, as

well as play games.

Blue Rhombus

Orange Square

2

Green Triangle

Red Trapezoid

Tan Rhombus

How to Use This Book:

To get started, you will need to pop out the clear plastic case with the pattern blocks from the book cover. The book then will lie flat so children can work directly on the activity pages. When pattern block play is finished, the pieces can be returned to the case and snapped back into the book for safe storage.

Yellow Hexagon

The activities in this book are coded by level of difficulty. Look for the stars in the corners of the pages.

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

The first 5 activities include the outlines of each pattern block

shape and can be solved easily even by a beginner. Children must slide, turn, and flip pieces in order for them to fit. Even very young learners can feel successful with the first part of the book.

The next 7 activities include partial outlines to make the

activities more challenging, while still giving a hint. Encourage beginners to try their best, and to look at the whole puzzle for hints. Each of these pages includes a hint as to how many pieces kids must use to solve the puzzle. Ask children to find other solutions to each puzzle. There is often more than one way to solve many of these problems.

The next 6 activities incorporate the idea of symmetry. If

children have a hard time grasping the concept, hold a hand mirror down on the line of symmetry so they can see what the completed shape will look like. For young children, have them complete one side while you complete the other.

The final 3 activities do not include any interior lines and

are the most challenging. Encourage children to approach the

puzzles systematically. Remember, there are often multiple solutions.

At the end of this book, on pages 29 and 30, you’ll find Rainy Day Extensions. These ideas for additional fun will help you extend your pattern block activities.

Possible solutions for selected puzzles are found on pages 31 and 32.

Things You Can Do

Work alongside your children as they solve the puzzles. Children love to work with an adult on activities such as these.

Encourage and praise. Kids love to feel successful at whatever they do.

Use this book as a coloring book. With crayons, colored pencils, or markers, children can add color to the pattern block pages as they complete them.

Give hints. If you see your child is struggling with some of the more challenging puzzles, take a peek in the back and give him/her hints. You can also draw in lines for younger children.

Most important of all—have fun!

3

Cover the asteroids using your pattern blocks.

4

5

Make the Space Creature using your pattern blocks.

6

Build the Space Capsule.

7

Make the Space Ship.

8

Create the Space Bug using 11 pattern block pieces.

9

Build the U.F.O. using 14 pieces.

10

Use 13 pieces to create this Martian Pet.

11

Make the Loading Craft using 14 pieces.

12

Create the Space Bunny using 16 pieces.

13

Use 17 pieces to build the Star Ship.

14

Build the Moon Rocket using 19 pieces.

15

16

Player Shape 1

Space Shape Game

Players: 2 Object: To be the first player to complete a Space Shape. Rules:

1) Follow the directions to make the spinner. Players take turns spinning. The first player whose spin points to the hexagon gets to go first.

2) Players take turns spinning for a pattern block piece and placing the piece on the Space Shape. If a piece cannot be placed on the shape, it must be returned to the draw pile.

3) Play continues until one person’s Space Shape is completed.

To make a spinner:

1

2) Spin the paper clip around the

Player Shape 2

) Arrange a pencil, a paper clip,

and the spinner circle (found

n the inside front cover of this

o book) as shown.

pencil. The free end of the paper clipwill point to a pattern block shape.

17

Complete the Moon Crawler. Use the dotted line as a mirror. It is called the line of symmetry

.

18

Complete the Rocket. The dotted line is the line of symmetry.

19

Finish the Comet.

20

Complete the 2-headed Space Monster.

21

Finish the Space Vehicle.

22

Complete the Space Star.

23

Finish

F

r

ee

Free

Space Race

Players: 2 Object: To be the first player to reach the “Finish” space. Rules:

1) Players begin on the “Start” spaces and continue, in order, along their roads.

2) Players take turns drawing pieces from a paper bag. If the piece matches the next shape on the road, the player places it on the road. If not, the piece is returned to the bag. No pieces are placed on “Free” spaces.

3) The game ends when one player reaches the

24

“Finish” space.

Free

Star

t

Player 1

F

r

Finish

ee

Start

Player 2

Free

25

Use pattern blocks to make the Space Ships.

26

Make the Asteroid using pattern blocks.

27

Create the Spiral Galaxy.

28

Rainy Day Extensions

1) Ask your child to make up his or her own space asteroid belt. Build asteroids with pattern blocks

similar to those found on pages 4 and 5.

2) Create the same shapes using different pattern block pieces. After your child has completed

pages 6, 7, and 8, explore which pieces can be substituted for others.

For example, ask your child, “How many red pieces make up a yellow piece? (2) How many green pieces make up a red piece? (3) Can you combine green and red pieces to make a yellow piece? (Yes)”

3) Have your child build different shapes for each object on pages 9 through 15.

4) Create more symmetric shapes. Ask your child to

show you the line of symmetry.

29

5) Take turns with your child creating “halfsymmetric” shapes. Challenge each other to

complete the missing halves.

6) Ask your child to make up a story using pattern blocks to create shapes. Your child can trace and

color the shape on a piece of paper. Write the story below the shape. Hang the picture story in a special place.

7) Play a pattern block word game. Modify the rules of the game Hang-Man. Instead of drawing a limb whenever a player guesses a letter incorrectly, place a pattern block piece on the outline of a figure in this book. Players try to guess the word before the figure is complete.

30

9

13

10

11

14

15

12

19

31

20

26

Possible answers

21

22

27

Possible answer

28

32

Possible answer

23

Learning Resources LER 7252 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual