Thinking Skills Activity: Detecting Patterns

Detecting Patterns
Bob Valiant, 15 March 2004


Thinking Skill Emphasized: Detecting Patterns

Detecting patterns is an important skill that helps us recognize ways to organize data that is seemingly chaotic.


Activity Description:

This activity is based on a set of data that has been previously collected. It might be the results of a series of science experiments, a survey of opinions, a set of measurements such as foot size, weight, and height, or date tables of climate trends, budget data, etc. Almanacs are a good source of this kind of information. The instructors job is to ask questions that will help students find connections between items in the data, notice trends, or identify patterns. When the ___ changed, what else happened? Do you see any connections between the ___ and the ___? In this table do you see anything of interest?

Grade Level Range: Intermediate grades to adult

Subject or Course: Any


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