MA.5.AR.3.1

Benchmark Instructional Guide

Connecting Benchmarks/Horizontal Alignment

• MA.5.AR.2.1
• MA.5.AR.2.4

Terms from the K-12 Glossary

• Coefficient

Vertical Alignment

Previous Benchmarks

• MA.4.AR.3.2

 

Next Benchmarks

• MA.6.AR.3.3

Purpose and Instructional Strategies

• The rules for given patterns are limited to one or two operations using whole numbers. 
• Vocabulary (e.g., coefficient, terms, variables) should be interwoven into instruction of this benchmark. These terms are introduced in grade 5, but not expected to be mastered until grade 6. 
• Students should understand that determining a rule for patterns helps them determine the value of future terms in the pattern (MTR.2.1, MTR.5.1). 
• During instruction, teachers can have students compare their rules and justify them using properties of operations.
  • For example, have students determine why the rule for the pattern in the benchmark example could be 6 + 2x or 2x + 6 (MTR.5.1, MTR.6.1). Instruction of this benchmark should be paired with MA.5.AR.3.2. The combination of determining rules and completing tables is important for students to begin understanding ratios and functions in the middle grades (MTR.5.1). 
• Instruction includes recognizing patterns that arise from geometrical figures with different lengths and their perimeter or area. 
  • For example, a pattern can arise from the following sequence of rectangles: 1 unit by 1 unit, 1 unit by 2 units, 1 unit by 3 units, 1 unit by 4 units. Students can describe the pattern of the perimeter or of the area.

Common Misconceptions or Errors

• A common mistake that students make is to determine a rule based on the change in only the first two terms. During instruction, teachers should emphasize that a rule must work for the change in any two terms in a pattern.

Strategies to Support Tiered Instruction

• Instruction includes opportunities to determine a rule given a numerical expression. After determining the rule, teachers provide guidance to support students as they work to describe the pattern as an expression. Special attention should be given to ensure that the rule is based on changes in all terms within the pattern (not just the first two terms). 
  • For example, the teacher provides students with the first four terms of a pattern: 

• The teacher guides students to notice what pattern they see between the four terms (each number is five greater than the previous number). If students have difficulty, a number line or hundreds chart may be used to support finding the pattern. Students should identify that the rule is to add five. Based on this rule, the teacher guides students to represent the pattern as an expression (e.g., 3 + 5x, where x = 0, 1, 2, 3 ...) having students use the expression to check for accuracy with each of the terms in the pattern and identify the next two terms in the pattern (... 23, 28 ...). 
• For example, the teacher provides students with the first four terms of a pattern. 

• The teacher guides students to notice what patterns they see between the four terms (each number is five greater than the previous number). A number line or hundreds chart is used to support finding the pattern. Students identify that the rule is to add four. Based on this rule, the teacher guides students to represent the pattern as an expression (e.g., 6 + 4x, where x = 0, 1, 2, 3 ...) having students use the expression to check for accuracy with each of the terms in the pattern and identify the next two terms in the pattern (... 22, 26 ...).

Instructional Tasks

Instructional Task 1 (MTR.5.1) 

• Part A. Write a mathematical description for a rule that matches these terms. 
• Part B. Write an expression that describes your rule. 
• Part C. Use your answer from Part B to determine the value of the 16th term.

Instructional Items

Instructional Item 1 

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